About Greater Southern Area Health Service

On the 16th March 1996, under the Public Hospital Act (1929), eight Rural Area Health Services were formed replacing the previous 23 District Health Services. The Greater Murray Health Service was established through the amalgamation of the Hume, Murrumbidgee, Murray and Riverina Health Services. Southern Area Health Service was established through the amalgamation of the Monaro, South Coast and Southern Tablelands District Health Services.

On Tuesday 27th July 2004, the Hon. Morris Iemma MP, NSW Minister for Health announced what he said was the most significant reform to the NSW health system since 1986. The number of Area Health Services was reduced from 17 to 8 with the Greater Southern Area Health Service being created from a merger of Greater Murray and Southern Area Health Services. The Boards of both AHSs were dissolved with an Administrator appointed to oversee corporate governance of both GMAHS and SAHS during the transition period.

GSAHS formally came into being on January 1, 2005. The Greater Southern Area Health Service covers 166,000 sq km and has a population of approximately 468,000 persons. There are six main areas of population density at Albury, Deniliquin, Goulburn, Griffith, Queanbeyan and Wagga Wagga and the Area has many smaller rural towns. The Greater Southern Area comprises the 39 Local Government Areas of: Albury, Bega Valley, Berrigan, Bland, Bombala, Boorowa, Carrathool, Conargo, Coolamon, Cooma Monaro, Cootamundra, Corowa, Deniliquin, Eurobodalla, Goulburn Mulwaree, Greater Hume, Griffith, Gundagai, Harden, Hay, Jerilderie, Junee, Leeton, Lockhart, Murray, Murrumbidgee, Narrandera, Palerang, Queanbeyan, Snowy River, Temora, Tumbarumba, Tumut, Upper Lachlan, Urana, Yass Valley, Young, Wagga Wagga and Wakool.

For planning purposes the Area was originally divided into ten Health Clusters. In 2008, this was simplified with three sectors. The GSAHS provides an extensive range of primary and secondary specialist services. In addition to direct clinical services the Greater Southern provides a broad range of home and community-based services as well as public health illness prevention and health promotion services.

The Greater Southern Area offers a very diverse range of industry which is primarily focused around Agriculture. There is however a variety of business and industrial enterprises outside of Agriculture including; Government departments, the Defence Forces, Tertiary Institutions, Forestry and Tourism. The GSAHS contributes significantly to communities as one of the major employers in the region, employing over 5222 (Full Time Equivalent) staff in a range of clinical and non-clinical roles.

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