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Securing funding for the long-awaited redevelopment of the Grenfell Multi-Purpose Health Service (MPS) remains the top priority for the Weddin Health Council, councillors have heard.
Speaking during discussion of the Weddin Health Council delegate report, Cr Jan Parlett said health representatives and community advocates were continuing to push hard for support from all levels of government.
"The big thing that we need to note there is the MPS redevelopment," Cr Parlett said.
"Everybody on that Health Council is really working hard and being very proactive, trying to get politicians and everyone on board because that's where we've got to get the money from."
She said community representatives were maintaining pressure on decision-makers in the hope of securing funding for improved local health facilities.
"We're in their faces as much as we can," she said.
"It's a big issue."
Mayor Paul Best agreed, describing the situation as a frustrating example of a gap between health planning and infrastructure funding.
"The problem is it's got to be State Government funded plus Federal Government funding," Mayor Best said.
He said Grenfell had been allocated additional aged care bed licences but did not have the facilities needed to accommodate them.
"We've been allocated the bed licences, but we don't have the facilities to back them up," he said.
Mayor Best questioned why approval for additional beds had been granted without corresponding funding for infrastructure upgrades.
"I still struggle to understand what's the point of allocating bed licences when the infrastructure is not in place," he said.
"Normally you would apply for a bed licence because you need to expand, not be told you need to have more beds but you don't have the facility and there's no budget to back it up."
Mayor Best said the community deserved answers about why funding for the redevelopment had not followed the allocation of additional beds.
"There's a break in the system somewhere," he said.
"How can we possibly be allocated nine beds and not have the funding to go along with it?"
Council representatives indicated that advocacy efforts would continue as they seek commitments from both state and federal governments to fund the redevelopment and ensure Grenfell's health facilities can meet future demand.

