Sheed to chair Community Advisory Group

Independent Member for Shepparton District Suzanna Sheed will chair a new Community Advisory Group to drive the consultation phase of the proposed Goulburn Valley Health redevelopment.

Ms Sheed joined the Minister for Health, Jill Hennessy, at Goulburn Valley Health today to make the announcement.

As a Goulburn Valley Health Foundation trustee and passionate advocate for improved health services Ms Sheed said she was looking forward to leading the consultation.

“The people in the best position to tell the government what’s needed are the people working in the wards at Goulburn Valley Health and the people who come through the doors for treatment,” Ms Sheed said.

“We want to hear from those people, from patients, carers, health professionals and community groups about what they envisage a new facility will look like, what services are vital and how we can deliver them.”

 

Ms Sheed and the group will work closely with Goulburn Valley Health and the Department of Health to ensure the community’s perspectives are included in any redevelopment plans.

“The infrastructure is not up to scratch and as a result the service is under immense pressure,” Ms Sheed said.

“The redevelopment master plan has been in the works for more than a decade, this is the community’s chance to help drive the plan forward and ensure it’s the right facility for our region now and into the future.”

Goulburn Valley Health also launched their new service plan today, which identifies a number of opportunities to improve the hospital’s acute health services over the next decade.

These include providing new heart services, developing an integrated model of care for patients with cancer, attracting more surgeons to the hospital and enhancing maternity services.

“It’s great to have the Minister for Health in Shepparton to launch the service plan and see first hand the needs of Goulburn Valley Health,” Ms Sheed said.

“It is important the Labor Government understand how great the need for investment is and I will continue to lobby them for that investment.”

19 June 2015

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