Gunnedah Mayor Jamie Chaffey complains about a lack of information, concerned Gunnedah hospital upgrade is on pause

Cr Chaffey slammed Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson for not responding to an inquiry for 18 days.

The last communication the council received from Hunter New England Health was a promise of transparency, in April, he said.

"Two-and-a-half years on from the election in a four-year election cycle. The clinical services final document has not been shared with the community so we don't know what services will be provided, we don't know what it looks like. We don't know if it's on schedule," he said.

"If we're going to continue to work at that pace, where after two-and-a-half years we're only to a point now where there's been a selection of people who are going to start to work on the project ... then you'd have to question whether this thing is still on track to start construction even in this term of government."

The $53 million project will replace Gunnedah's old hospital. Construction is due to start in 2023 and finish by 2025.

But Cr Chaffey said he didn't know where the new hospital would go, when construction starts or how long it will take. He doesn't know the number of beds and hasn't seen a clinical services plan.

"When the [2019 election] commitment was made, [it was said] that there would be a six-to-eight month maybe nine month process of doing the design work and then get on with the job. Here we are 2.5 years on in a four-year election cycle and still nothing has come to the community," he said.

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The town has a crisis-level shortage of GPs, with many local doctors closing their books. Cr Chaffey said a new hospital is a vital to attract medical professionals.

A press release issued this week by Mr Anderson announced the lead consultant project team, including the project manager, Ranbury Management Group, architect, DWP Australia and cost manager, Altus Group.

The MP said he will "be pushing for the project team to begin community consultation in Gunnedah once it is safe to do so."

"I want to assure the Gunnedah community that they will have input in key decisions relating to the project's planning and design and will be consulted in a variety of ways in a COVID-safe manner," he said.

A final consultation strategy is being developed by Health Infrastructure and Hunter New England Health. It is likely to involve pop-up consultation sessions and surveys.

Hunter New England Health Executive Director Susan Heyman said that clinical services plans are written to "inform internal health planning and contain industry language."

"Our district does not release them publicly," she said.

She said the local health district had promised there would be "no downgrade or reduction in health services resulting from the $53 million redevelopment."

"Gunnedah hospital will continue to function as a district hospital and remain networked to Tamworth hospital for specialised services," she said.

In the coming months the project team will develop a masterplan for the project and start consultation with key stakeholders.

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