Country Mayors' Association (CMA) chief Jamie Chaffey is spearheading a council-led effort to resuscitate the ailing number of health professionals in the New England.
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"Local government, now more than ever, needs to be heavily involved in all aspects of our community," Cr Chaffey said.
Cr Chaffey, who is also Gunnedah mayor, hosted the two-day Rural and Regional Health Forum in Wagga Wagga on September 15, with about 70 representatives from councils across the state, including Tamworth, Liverpool Plains and Armidale.
He said the two highlights of the forum were: the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU), and the realisation that councils need to get involved with their local health district's health committee.
Cr Chaffey said he was impressed by a presentation from Murrumbidgee Health District's CEO Jill Ludford who said working with local councils via the health committee "works very well for them".
"Their councils and councillors and mayors are heavily involved in their health committees," Cr Chaffey said of the Murrumbidgee district.
"I'm not aware that happens in a lot of the local health districts [in the New England region].
"I am certainly not involved in a health committee in the Hunter New England Health District, but I certainly would love to be."
![Country Mayors Association chief Jamie Chaffey, insert, hosted the regional and rural health forum in Wagga Wagga on September 15, 2023. Pictures supplied Country Mayors Association chief Jamie Chaffey, insert, hosted the regional and rural health forum in Wagga Wagga on September 15, 2023. Pictures supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/184392265/085f52b0-6043-4cef-b560-e0c1c6622cc4.png/r286_0_3646_1890_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
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The CMA chief said the MOU, signed between the CMA and Rural Doctors Network, includes a range of steps on how the two organisations will work to provide improved health services for people living in regional and rural areas.
"That was really one of the highlights for me - was finally getting to the point of signing off on that memorandum of understanding," Cr Chaffey said.
"In the first year it sets out a whole heap of targets about how we'll promote each other's work, and work together in sharing information over the first four months.
"And then we'll review what actions there are around that communication."
NSW Rural Doctors Network CEO Richard Colbran said in a statement that it "is important for organisations like RDN to work closely in alignment with local government to improve rural health access and the workforce".
"Local councils across the state have become increasingly involved in ensuring a stronger, more sustainable health workforce, so RDN is honoured to be signing a Memorandum Of Understanding with the CMA to show its commitment to achieving better health access in regional, rural and remote NSW," Mr Colbran said.
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