On the eve of next week’s community information sessions, Mr Bensley said he holds little hope that any public feedback on the plans developed by HNEH can be now be incorporated into the redevelopment.

“I have long standing concerns about the way Hunter New England Health has gone about the planning … These concerns relate back to the lack of community consultation since March 2016, the ‘behind closed doors’ preparation of a Clinical Plan and [the] rumoured downsizing of some of the new infrastructure - particularly the maternity and children's wards,” Mr Bensley said.

As the $30 million redevelopment moves towards implementation, management of the project has now been transferred from HNEH to NSW Health Infrastructure.

The plans behind the project, however, were developed by HNEH before the handover and without supplying the information or public consultation promised by the department back in March 2016.

“Hunter New England Health have not honoured any of the undertakings given at the last public meeting in Inverell 17 months ago such as the provision of a Clinical Health Plan, regular consultations with the local community, and regular progress reports,” Mr Bensley said.

The seasoned campaigner said questions about the currency of population figures used by the planners have also remained unanswered, leaving him concerned that calculations have been based on a temporary period of economic downturn that ended in 2001; and not present growth projections.

Although Mr Bensley said he has heard a “lot of good things” about the redevelopment, he is keen for community members, like the shire’s councillors to take a thorough look at the plans, given the lack of local input that’s been involved in creating them.

“It is unlikely that members of NSW Health Infrastructure will be interested in getting involved in questions which should have been resolved during the planning process,” Mr Bensley said.

“I think the fact is, it could be too late. It’s a long shot but I’m asking the council and the mayor to take a strong stand.”

Speaking to Council after Mr Bensley’s address, Mayor Paul Harmon said he too had attended the public formum in 2016 and shared the ongoing frustration with HNEH’s lack of communication. 

“I really can’t understand Hunter New England Health’s reluctance to recognise the significance of the Inverell community,” he said. “It has been very difficult to get information.”

Mr Harmon said, however, that he has since had an opportunity to see the plans and he is hopeful they will meet the requirements of the community. 

Address to Inverell Shire Council – 23rd August 2017

Inverell Hospital Redevelopment

Thank you Mr Mayor

Despite regular communications to Hunter New England Health via Local Member Adam Marshall MP, since March 2016, my concerns about the planning process for our Hospital Redevelopment have been consistently fobbed off. My latest communication dated 9th August 2017 has been referred to HNEH by Mr Marshall with his request for advice – but on previous form, any reply is unlikely to be received prior to the Public Information Sessions listed for the end of next week.

Could I read that communication to you?

Dear Minister

Inverell Hospital Redevelopment

Thank you for your e-mail dated 24th July 2017 (referring to information supplied by Mr DiRienzo) and your letter dated 25th July 2017 (providing an update on the above subject).

As you are aware, I have longstanding concerns about the way Hunter New England Health has gone about the planning of the Inverell Hospital Redevelopment.  These concerns relate to the lack of community consultation since March 2016, the “behind closed doors” preparation of a Clinical Plan and rumoured downsizing of some of the new infrastructure – particularly the Maternity and Children’s Wards. HNEH has confirmed the downsizing (ref. the abovementioned e-mail) by quoting recent under use of both facilities. The same advice claimed that Clinical Service Plans are not public documents.  This flies in the face of the advice given to the March 2016 public meeting in Inverell that a Clinical Services Plan had been completed and was waiting to be signed off by the State Government – and copies would be forwarded for the information of Inverell Shire residents shortly thereafter!  This document was supposed, amongst other things, to deal with the problems experienced by many local residents in having to travel to Armidale and Tamworth and elsewhere for the treatment of minor ailments. That seems, on the available evidence, never to have happened.  And despite claims to the contrary, there is no evidence of local community consultations having occurred, since that March 2016 meeting.

All of this is remarkably similar to 2001, when HNEH’s first cousin – New England Health - proceeded to downsize the Maternity and Children’s Wards while completely ignoring local opinion – and using non-current population figures suggesting that Inverell was on a downslide.  Since 2001, Inverell Shire’s district population has increased from 15,020 to 16,936 – and in the same period the Inverell Township population has increased from 9,525 to 11,660 – and we are downsizing!  How can that be?

The fact is that I am very happy with much of what you outlined in your letter of 25th July.  However my reservations, as outlined above, are a major concern to me.  This at a time when the secretly put together plans are about to be handed on to NSW Health Infrastructure.  I have the feeling that the two community information sessions you have foreshadowed will be to tell us what we are getting – rather than to discuss the pros and cons.

As inconvenient as this may be, it is my opinion that matters such as those I have raised in this letter (and many times previously) – and those of other residents - should be discussed at a public forum.   After all, the stage that you have been successful in reaching has taken more than fifty years of local agitation.  It is a once in a lifetime event and the outcome will be crucial to our grandchildren and great grandchildren. The events of 2001 should not be repeated.

Thank you so much for the major effort that you have put into this project.

                                                           Yours Faithfully

You might regard that as “Bensley’s Last Stand”!  More correctly, this address is closer to that title.

I have all sorts of concerns about the way next week’s Public Information Sessions have been arranged.  Some of these concerns are as follows:

-                     they are being held (apart from one hour on Thursday afternoon from 5pm to 6pm), during normal business hours.  Many prospective attendees will be precluded from attending;

-                     rumour has it that the format will be  - small groups/cells of building and management people – each with with parts of the puzzle;

-                     is this designed to minimize any disruption to the presentation - including anyone answering difficult questions?

-                     In any case – is it likely that members of NSW Health Infrastructure   will be interested in getting involved in questions which should have been resolved during the planning process?

This may all be very frustrating, at a time when the real action– such as turning the first sod – should be getting underway.  However, Mr Mayor, Hunter New England Health have not honoured any of the undertakings given at the last Public Meeting in Inverell seventeen months ago, such as –

-                     provision of copies of a Clinical Health Plan;

-                     regular consultations with the local community, and

-                     regular progress reports.

You did say, some time ago, Mr Mayor, that the local community should be realistic in its expectations of this project – and we all understood that. However, if our district health body, for the second time in sixteen years, is taking our thriving community’s infrastructure in a backward direction, we should know now – not in ten or twenty year’s time, when it’s too late!

I would hope, Mr Mayor, that you and your Council will take the lead, next week, in ensuring that everything is in order, before the next step is taken.

Thank you Mr Mayor.