The current Hunter New England Area Health Service is not adequately servicing the needs of people living in the New England North West regions. Previously local communities had a level of ownership of their Health Services and Hospitals. The amalgamation of Health Services into Hunter New England Area Health Service has culminated in a marked deterioration in health services across New England and North West Regions. Centralised decision making has led to an ignorance of what is required in smaller regional communities. This has resulted in a lack of adequate services and the requirement for residents to travel long distances to meet their needs. We believe a return to a more representative Area Health Service and the return of local Hospital Boards would markedly improve the level of health services in New England North West.