Letter: Gummun Place – A Merriwa Treasure

An open letter:

Please take a moment to read this article and lend your support to the possibility of a rather disturbing development happening – the fate of our Gummun Place Hostel. There is a proposal being considered by the Upper Hunter Shire wishing to pass the management and ownership to a suitable alternative.

We are most fortunate to have such a wonderful Aged care centre, staffed by caring, devoted staff – the residents are happy and feel most “at home”. This kind of treatment and care can only be provided where all parties involved have the welfare and care of their charges as a priority.

We are a small country town with a small Aged care facility which if absorbed into a larger organisation will lose its identity, become a mere cypher in the bigger organisation and  quality of care for our residents could be reduced due to restrictions placed on how much time could be spent with each person.

In the climate of “abuse of the elderly” it is interesting that it is the bigger establishments who have been called to task – the small ones like ours are free from such a stigma but should we be absorbed by a large corporation we will be “tarred with the same brush” and our loving caring environment could be lost.

To make a submission: Draft Aged and Disability Care Strategic Plan.

This might lead to the facility closing all together and residents forced to be dispersed to larger communities such as Scone or Muswellbrook.

The closure or reestablishment of the residents to out of town facilities would have a much larger impact on our community in general – we need to consider if we would still have the same number of doctors, the effect on our Pharmacy and businesses in our town. A town without an aged care facility is less attractive for doctors. If we are unable to attract/retain doctors then the health of the entire community will suffer and the huge gap in the life expectancy between city and the bush will continue to grow.

Sadly at this stage we have no idea exactly what the Shire has in mind with their cryptic short statement – is it going to be status quo, are they planning on selling the business, are they planning to sell the business and the building, are they planning on moving the current residents to Scone or Muswellbrook – we don’t know and we need to ask the Shire for a community consultation telling us exactly what is on their agenda before any action is taken.

We showed our community spirit when we came together on Bugger the Drought day, supporting each other and protecting our way of life – well folks, Now is the time to do so again!!!!

We need your support to ensure Gummun Place stays operated for our residents and continues to provide the very best for our aged citizens. This is not just a battle for Gummun Place. It is a battle for the health of our District and all its residents.

The town really needs to get behind this cause or we may all suffer a major blow to our access to timely health care – the aged, the newborn and all that fall in between.

PLEASE lend your support by writing to the Shire, signing petitions, helping those organisations who are ALREADY very active in ensuring that these proposed ideas are properly explained and discussed.

On behalf of concerned residents of Merriwa…

Edith Shipway President, Merriwa Tourist Welcoming Centre & Men’s Shed