MEMBER for Myall Lakes Stephen Bromhead yesterday hinted that Hunter New England Health (HNE Health) would soon make a "favourable announcement" about the Nita Reed Community Dialysis Centre in Taree.
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Mr Bromhead spoke to the Manning River Times about his representations to HNE Health in the wake of criticism from members of the Nita Reed Community Dialysis Centre Protest Group about his silence on the issue and suggestions that he was aware of, and supportive of the decision to relocate dialysis chairs to Forster Private Hospital.
"I've been talking with HNE Health since it was announced that the Nita Reed Community Dialysis Centre was to close," Mr Bromhead said.
"The communication about it (the closure) was wrong and I've been talking about that. It could have been done a lot better and Michael DiRienzo (HNE Health chief executive) is personally taking carriage of this and will be dealing with it and I'm sure there will be a favourable outcome.
"Until they (HNE Health) have spoken to all the stakeholders, I really can't say what that outcome is because the communication to begin with was not done properly. So they have to make sure that they do the communication properly and talk to the various stakeholders to make sure that they are happy.
"So it would be wrong of me to say that this is what is going to happen because I'd be announcing something before others have been told."
Mr Bromhead confirmed that he had not consulted with the Nita Reed Community Dialysis Centre Protest Group, Nita Reed or Lyn Mayo OAM about the HNE Health decision and their concerns.
"They (the community) have had something from me and what I have said is that it is an operational matter and a matter that is left to the hospital and Hunter New England Health," Mr Bromhead explained.
"That is what I say publicly but behind the scenes I'm talking to them (HNE Health).
"You come out and say things when you've got something to say. Me saying, 'I'm talking to them' is not - it's not anything, it's just me saying 'I'm talking to them'. I'd rather come out and say, 'Well, I've been talking to them and as a result, this is what's going to happen.
"It's all very well for shadow ministers to come up and bang the drum and then disappear again, what I want is results.
"Now I'd love to be able to say to you that the result is this, but there's other people as well that need to be advised as to what is going on. There will hopefully be a favourable announcement after a meeting next week."
Mr Bromhead said he was not "part of the decision-making process" in relation to the closure of the centre and relocation of dialysis chairs to Forster Private Hospital.
"I haven't been part of wanting the chairs to go from the Manning Valley to Forster at all," Mr Bromhead said.
"The decision was made and I wasn't part of the decision-making process. The decision was made by the hospital and HNE Health, not by me, they didn't ask for my input and nor should they.
"I don't interfere with the superintendent of police and the decisions he makes and I don't interfere with the decisions the hospital and HNE Health and the decisions they make."