Council pushes for better health services

Bourke Councillors and staff sat down with local health district officers to discuss the deterioration of health services in Bourke on Monday. Pictured from left are: Western NSW LHD General Manager Brian Bonham, Bourke Shire Deputy Mayor Lachlan Ford, Councillor Sally Davis, Acting General Manager Leonie Brown, Cobar’s Health Service Manager Mary Urquhart, LHD Rural Health Innovation Lead, Amelia Haigh. Photo TWH

Bourke Shire Council has again raised the issue of declining health services at a meeting with senior members of the Local Health District (LHD).

Two members of the Western LHD, Brian Bonham and Amelia Haigh and Health Services Manager for Cobar, Mary Urquhart (currently filling in temporarily as Health Services Manager at Bourke) met with Bourke councillors, managers, and Acting General Manager Leonie Brown on Monday.

Mrs Brown said although council put a strong case for better services, no assurances were given by the visiting LHD team.

“We highlighted to the Health District that we are a vulnerable community, with an ageing population and that we have high levels of chronic disease,” Mrs Brown said.

“We are a hub for a large area so it’s important that we have a medical service that can provide the emergency care that we need.

“We had discussions about the VMO doctor service coming to Bourke in March and stressed the importance of maintaining a 24/7 doctor service at the hospital for emergencies.

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