Early last month the Greater Western baulked at providing weekly updates on the amount of money owed to creditors beyond the 43-day benchmark set by the department for payments to trade creditors, offering instead to reveal the debt level on the first day of each month.

Last Wednesday, July 1, a statement revealed that the debt stood at “less than 2 per cent” of the total annual budget of $510.143 million, representing a “reduction of several million dollars”.

The Greater Western flatly refused to provide a figure, as previously requested by the Daily Liberal, leaving it to calculate the debt at $10.2 million, down from $13.4 million in early June, but higher than $9.2 million at the end of May.

Among those to express concern at the struggle to obtain information included The Nationals’ duty MLC for Dubbo Duncan Gay who also hit out at NSW health minister John Della Bosca for telling both sides of the Parliament last week to stay out of negotiations aimed at getting Dubbo-based surgeons Dean Fisher and Geoff O’Connor back to work at the city’s public operating theatres.

“He sounds like a tin-pot dictator in some totalitarian state,” said Mr Gay who asked when money was being “tipped into” the coffers of Greater Western.

Yesterday, its spokesman said the annual allocation was paid on a weekly basis with the amount “roughly the same”.

NSW Opposition spokesperson on health Jillian Skinner and Labor’s duty MLC for Dubbo Eddie Obeid also bought into the debt debate, albeit with different perspectives.

Mr Obeid’s spokesperson reeled off the Greater Western’s efforts to both stay within budget and pay creditors.

“It continues to have regular contact with local creditors and vendors in relation to their account management. The area has weekly payment runs to vendors,” he said.

“Greater Western Area Health Service is currently undertaking a major review of its structure in order to progress its financial situation.”

Mrs Skinner said she was concerned that the statement issued by Greater Western last week was full of “spin” and referred to “further efficiencies”.

“Instead of providing a page full of spin, Mr Della Bosca should simply reveal how much money GWAHS owes to creditors.

“Of greater concern is the area health service talking about further efficiencies, which is State Labor Government code for more cutbacks.”