Muswellbrook Shire Council has brought together a significant spectrum of health stakeholders and decision makers in a commitment to lift local access to healthcare.
In a Muswellbrook Health Services Roundtable seen by Council as productive, Council representatives sought solutions to the most urgent local health challenges.
The roundtable was an opportunity to understand the needs of the community and get the facts on available solutions.
Muswellbrook Shire health challenges include:
- Access to birthing services.
- Patient transport services to other hospitals and specialists.
- Access to afterhours imaging services.
- The growing challenge of mental health needs.
The roundtable also considered the prospect of services straining further under the impending arrival of 4,500 temporary workers as major projects such as the Muswellbrook bypass commence construction.
Despite the challenges, the roundtable heard Muswellbrook is geographically and strategically placed as a regional health hub considering an ongoing $45 million NSW Government commitment to expand Muswellbrook Hospital.
Positioned well relative to the Hunter Valley, Upper Hunter, and New England regions, Muswellbrook has the potential to deliver integrated care and training to service the needs of a wide regional area. Existing infrastructure, combined with a motivated network of providers and support from Council, foster possibilities for health innovation and investment within the Shire.
Transport was identified at the roundtable as a barrier to care, with long distances to services in Maitland, Tamworth, and Newcastle. For residents without ready access to a vehicle – including many older residents and young families – these journeys can mean delaying or missing care altogether.
The Muswellbrook Health Services Roundtable brought together Council, Hunter New England Health, Rural & Regional Health Services, Integrated Care Services, Hunter Valley Community Health Nursing Team, Brook Medical, Hunter Medical Practice, Muswellbrook District Hospital, Tresillian Muswellbrook, the Primary Care Network, the Hunter New England Central Coast Primary Network, and the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association.
The roundtable reached a mutual commitment to better outcomes for Muswellbrook Shire’s growing and changing population.
Muswellbrook Mayor Jeff Drayton welcomed the roundtable as a positive step.
“These conversations are complex and they’re hard. These are not problems you can throw a heap of money at and hope that it fixes it. We’ve started the conversation but there’s a long way to go,” Mayor Drayton said.
“This roundtable is about rolling up our sleeves and working together for the people who deserve it – Muswellbrook Shire locals. People in Muswellbrook deserve the same level of healthcare as anyone in NSW, and Council won’t stop until we get it. These frank, productive talks were necessary.”
The roundtable partners have agreed to meet again in two months to continue closer, ongoing collaboration and a focus on strategies to address the Shire’s most pressing health gaps.
Muswellbrook Shire Council will continue to advocate, support, and work with health providers to deliver real improvements to local healthcare.
