Not only has the SWSHC outclassed their bigger competitor but they have, in an exlemporary fashion followed the criterion set out for all bidders by the Federal Department of Health and Ageing. They have put to shame their rivals in the Macarthur-Southern Highlands consortium who have failed the critical test of consultation prior to submitting their relevant bids.
One can only hope, as residents and health consumers of the Southern Highlands, that the Vision and ethical approach of the SWSHC is maintained by an appropriate representation from the SWSHC on the Board of the proposed SWS Medicare Local due to commence by 1 July 2012.
Socrates, for one, will find no credibility in a SWSML Board which does not espouse the same SWSHC Vision of : "democratic decision making, transparent governance, and equitable distribution of resources, to benefit all families across the region."
Welcome to SWSHC
The South West Sydney Health Coalition (SWSHC) formed in 2010, to secure democratic decision making, transparent governance, and equitable distribution of resources across all parts of the future South West Sydney Medicare Local.
Since 2010, thirty five organisations signed MOUs to work together, to transform this vision of a Medicare Local into reality.
The SWSHC has, from its origins, been driven by a shared vision, of how family doctors, health and community organisations should work together to improve the health of people living between Bankstown and Bowral.
In July 2011, the SWSHC lodged a bid to become the South West Sydney Medicare Local.
On 4 November 2011, we learned that we were not the successful bidder. As a consequence, the SWSHC will negotiate with the Macarthur-Southern Highlands bid consortium to form the South West Sydney Medicare Local.
Importantly, today’s decision means that the SWSHC has not yet secured its original vision – to ensure the South West Sydney Medicare Local foundations rest on democratic decision making, transparent governance, and equitable distribution of resources, to benefit all families across the region.
Looking towards 2012 and beyond, the SWSHC is now well positioned to represent the interest of family doctors, health organisations, and local communities, to secure our vision for the South West Sydney Medicare Local, through a formal mediation process with the Macarthur and Southern Highlands bid consortium.
