New Armidale Health Alliance to chart health outcomes for local region

Armidale’s principal health providers have joined forces in an historic alliance to tackle some of the most pressing problems facing the city and region including a capital upgrade of Armidale Hospital.
It was the outcome of a forum facilitated by Member for Northern Tablelands Richard Torbay in conjunction with the New England Division of General Practice.
At the meeting 25 representatives from Hunter New England Health, the University of New England and the Division agreed to establish the Alliance and meet monthly. It is the first such representative group to be established locally.
They have identified recruitment and retention of doctors, hospital capital upgrades, providing resources and clinical placements for medical student training and improving rural health throughout the New England region as key priorities.
Mr Torbay said he was driven to call the forum with the support of the Division because there was no current mechanism for reaching consensus on local health issues.
At the meeting he circulated a framework to assist the planning process for a major capital upgrade of Armidale Hospital which he has presented to the Health Minister. In the absence of a representative body, he had been compelled to compile the document using his own resources and research, he told the meeting.
“It is the result of consultation with local doctors, academics and administrators and is now on the table for detailed discussion and feedback from the new Armidale Health Alliance” he said. “Establishing this representative group is very positive and fits with the political reality that you are much more likely to get a good outcome if stakeholders can collaborate and unite behind a plan. Establishing the UNE Rural Medical School is a successful example of that process.”
Hunter New England Health Chief Executive Dr Nigel Lyons said the health service had identified Armidale as a key site for the development of clinical student placements and investment in clinical teaching and research.
“Working together is crucial if we’re to succeed in this vision for Armidale,” Dr Lyons said.
Board Chair Roger Munday and Medical Director Dr Paul Kennedy said the Division was delighted to have facilitated the forum with Mr Torbay and fully supported the decision of the key interested parties to form an alliance with the goal of improving rural health in the Armidale and New England area.
UNE Vice-Chancellor, Professor Jim Barber said the training of medical and nursing students was closely linked to the development of facilities at the Armidale and other local hospitals and the recruiting and retention of doctors and specialists. “We are already closely associated with HNE Health and the Division in these endeavours and strongly support the establishment of the Alliance,” he said.