The New England Health Alliance has given its vote of confidence for a revised estimate of the Armidale Hospital staged redevelopment to $60 million following a briefing from Hunter New England Health (HNEH) CEO Michael Di Rienzo last week.
Member for Northern Table-lands Richard Torbay said the Alliance had a vital role to play in hosting the State Health Minister Jillian Skinner’s planned visit to Armidale to inspect the Hospital and hold talks with stakeholders.
“During the debate in Parliament brought on by a petition signed by more than 10,000 local people, the Minister indicated she would support an application if any new funding round is announced by the Commonwealth,” he said.
Mr Torbay said he was encouraged by the strong support of all stakeholders for the redevelopment including the New England Division of General Practice, the University of New England, HNEH and local specialists, clinicians, nurses and allied health professionals.
Last week’s meeting was told that work was expected to begin within a fortnight on the $5.9 million ambulatory care and chemotherapy building on the hospital campus. The new complex will include specialist consulting rooms for surgeons, anaesthetists, renal physicians, obstetrics and gynaecology; chronic disease services, including cardiac and respiratory services and two additional chemotherapy chairs.
The MP said the UNE Rural Medical School (RMS) was making a vital contribution in attracting new medicos to the city, with an anaesthetist, a cardiac surgeon and a general surgeon recently recruited to take up joint positions at the School and the Hospital.
“During her visit the Minister will tour the Hospital and meet with Health Alliance members, doctors and nursing staff and visit the Medical School,” he said.
“She recognises that HNEH has made the staged redevelopment a priority and, while she is here, she will see for herself the importance of the upgrade to meet the needs of the local community and the Medical School.”
