Socartes urges all members of the Southern Highlands community to respond to the future of their health needs by supporting the submission by the SWSHC to DoHA for provision of the South West Sydney Medicare Local. You are encouraged to write to the Federal Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Ageing.
A message from the South West Sydney Health Coalition (SWSHC) - Medicare Locals
What is the solution?
In December 2010, the Australian Government and NSW Government agreed on the boundaries of non-hospital family medicine organisations (Medicare Locals).
There will be one urban, and one rural structure covering the south west Sydney-Macarthur- Southern Highlands region. Together, these two structures will form a Medicare Local.
The SWSHC is a broad alliance of community organisations, health organisations and family doctors leading the transition to a Medicare Local in south west Sydney. The SWSHC supports the structure agreed described in the Medicare Local boundaries:
1. An urban South Western Sydney organisation, based on the amalgamation of the existing Bankstown, Fairfield- Liverpool Divisions, and the urban edge of the Macarthur Division of General Practice.
This organisation will provide services to the urban communities in the Bankstown to Camden corridor, with its large proportion of ethnically diverse residents, and economic disadvantage.
This incorporates the Bankstown, Fairfield, Liverpool, Macarthur and Camden LGAs.
2. A rural Southern Highlands Regional Network based on the current rural section of Macarthur, and the Southern Highlands Divisions of General Practice.
This organisation will focus on provision of non-hospital health services to the rural areas south of Campbelltown and Camden LGAs to Bowral.
The rural Southern Highlands Regional Network will have a separate semi-autonomous local office situated in the Southern Highlands, to manage the specific needs of local families.
What can I do to help?
The South West Sydney Health Coalition now needs your help to secure a healthy future for families in Bankstown, Fairfield, Liverpool, Campbelltown and Camden.
The current round of changes to hospitals and family medicine have created tremendous opportunities for community, health social welfare organisations. Together, we now have a historic opportunity to influence the health of families in south west Sydney for many years into the future. Find out what you can do to shape the future now.
Central DoH&A Office postal address:
Department of Health & Ageing
(Medicare Locals)
GPO Box 9848,
Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
