I am pleased to advise that the KPMG project team will be visiting the Island during the week commencing 4 February. This will provide further opportunities for residents and community groups to have their say on the future of health services for Norfolk Island.
From Monday 4 February the health services team will be available to meet with individuals and community groups that haven’t had the opportunity to contribute their views during the December consultations. Interested groups can request a meeting by contacting my office (on telephone 22152) by 25 January. I will liaise with KPMG to confirm a meeting schedule aimed at maximising the number of group interviews.
As I advised in my 22 December update, KPMG identified four main priorities from their initial consultations: active ageing, health promotion and wellness, supporting visiting specialists and birthing services.
The KPMG team will be available for short meetings with interested community members to further explore these themes on Tuesday 5 and Wednesday 6 February through a series of drop-in sessions.
These interviews will be limited to around 15 minutes to allow as many people as possible to contribute to the plan. Individual groups of less than three will also be able to put forward their views and find out more about what can be feasibly delivered to a remote community of around 1800 people. The timetable for these drop in sessions is:
- 2:00 to 6:00 pm – Tuesday 5th February
- 2:00 to 6:00 pm – Wednesday 6th February
All sessions will be held at #11 Quality Row.
The key issues identified from the consultation for future health service delivery and multipurpose health services facility will be discussed at a community meeting held at the Paradise Resort from 6.00 – 7.30 pm on Thursday 7 February.
Whilst it is clearly not possible to provide a full suite of medical services to a remote community of around1800 people, the Australian Government is committed to providing Norfolk Island residents with the opportunity to shape the future of their health and aged care services.
The next stage of this project is for KPMG to prepare a draft Norfolk Island Health Service Plan informed by the outcomes of the consultations. I will provide further advice on the opportunity for the community to consider and provide comments on the Draft Plan.
It is essential for the community to consider that its concerns and aspirations for the future of health and aged care services are acknowledged in the endorsed Health Services Plan. This document will underpin the design of the largest infrastructure project in Norfolk Island’s history.
Eric Hutchinson
January 2019