THE Tamworth Hospital’s outstanding performance in the NSW Health Awards demonstrates that although the buildings and facilities may be in need of an overhaul, the people who deliver the service are absolutely first class.

That, mind you, is something this paper has been saying for a long time.

While we have often been critical of the delays in constructing a new hospital for Tamworth, we have never been critical of the people who make things happen.

The dedicated and hard-working staff – both medical and administrative – have demonstrated a clear capacity to make the most of what they’ve got.

What we want to know is just how good they can be if and when they get the buildings and the equipment they deserve.

It is also worth noting that at a time when many health services across the state are in serious trouble, ours is performing well.

The Hunter New England Health Service has been named as the best in the state.

This is despite the challenges implicit in delivering health care across a massive region.

Health care is one of those challenging areas where no matter how hard you try — and how well you do – it will always be possible for people to say you could have done better.

The recent awards represent an opportunity to reflect on the fact that our local hospitals and services compare very favourably with their peers across the state.

Congratulations are due to all concerned.

Well done.

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TODAY’S .25 per cent interest rate rise is to be welcomed as a sign that the Reserve Bank believes the economy is travelling well.

A .5 per cent rise – which many pundits forecast – would have been excessive and counterproductive.

We have turned the corner and the recovery is well under way.