Nasik Swami and Chris Oldfield, Naracoorte Community News
Health Minister Chris Picton claims the Limestone Coast Local Health Network (LCLHN) has implemented several changes to improve the care being provided to the people of Lucindale, following input from the community.
But the Lucindale community disagrees with the minister and after being excluded from several meetings, says it still has not been consulted.
Many residents report nursing services still have not returned to previous reliable or adequate capacity.
Earlier this year the State Government cut phone lines, removed vaccines and virtually shut down the Lucindale Health Centre nursing services – as previously reported by The [Naracoorte Community] News.
It did so without warning and without consulting the community, forcing elderly, sick and frail people with no driving ability to travel 80 kms round trips and more for nursing services.
A high-level meeting was held at Parliament House last March between Mr Picton, his LCLHN representatives, and Independent Member for MacKillop Nick McBride, Naracoorte Lucindale Mayor Patrick Ross and disability advocate Ashley Reynolds, among others.
As a result, Mr Picton said: “I have asked the LHNs to bring together consumer working groups for these services so the community can have a greater local say about planning for these services.
“I reiterate these were local decisions by the local health networks and local boards – there was no decision from Adelaide and the budgets for the LHNs have increased substantially over the past two years.”
A so-called community meeting was held, but the community, Mr McBride and the media were excluded and not allowed to attend what became a “secret meeting”.
The LCLHN CEO Emma Poland formed a working group which included two Lucindale community members along with several LCLHN staff.
But the working group also held secret meetings, excluding both civic leaders, Mr McBride and Mayor Ross.
The secret meetings also excluded Mr Reynolds as well as the general community and media.
Meanwhile, in April Mr Picton told The [Naracoorte Community] News: “I look forward to hearing from the LCLHN after it holds its first working group meeting – including LCLHN management, staff, GPs, and community – by the end of this month.”
After being excluded from all meetings, along with civic leaders, the community still has not been consulted and as a result asked The News to investigate.
The [Naracoorte Community] News asked Mr Picton the following questions:
“The Limestone Coast Local Health Network has updated me on the progress of the Lucindale Community Nursing Service Working Group,” Mr Picton said last week via a prepared media statement.
He said the working group met regularly and reported to the LCLHN.
He further claimed: “A number of community representatives are members of the working group, and they provide input and advice to the group based on community feedback.
“The Local Health Network has implemented a number of changes to improve the care being provided to the people of Lucindale following input from the community.”
Lucindale Post Office owner Geoff Robinson said the community was still waiting to be consulted and wondered if the Minister had been updated by the LCLHN regarding reduced nursing services in the town.
The [Naracoorte Community] News will provide a report from the community regarding the Lucindale Health Centre in a future edition.
This article appeared in the Naracoorte Community News.
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