Mrs Hancock said, if you were “going to have a large board”, it should have representatives from each of the hospitals it represents. 

“This health board is for the Illawarra and Shoalhaven, and we [Milton] always run the risk of being one of the smaller hospitals and being left off the list of spending and being forgotten,” she said. 

“Being in the far south, there isn’t as much of a focus on Milton.” 

Although she was not advocating for a return to the local board system of 30 years ago, Mrs Hancock said she wanted to see greater representation from people involved with Milton hospital in the district board. 

“If you are going to have a large board, you have to have representatives on the board from each of the hospitals. I am sure if something happens at Milton no one knows who to contact,” she said. 

“I don’t even know who is on the board.

“I want to see some greater representation from people in Milton hospital on that board. When we make board appointments, I want to make sure we have people from all of the hospitals and districts.” 

Local people, standing up for local issues, were needed on the board. 

“No one will do it better than local representatives who understand the restrains facing Milton,” Mrs Hancock said. 

“We need someone on that board who understands Milton hospital so they can take issues to the board. If you have no one, no one is representing Milton that understands the issues.” 

Mrs Hancock said she would meet with the Minister for Health Brad Hazzard to convey her concerns. 

“I don’t think the community has contact with the board, and I don’t think the board has contact with the community,” she said.