The 10 members who sit on the council are currently focussed on helping formulate a 10-year health care plan, which will be completed by December.

According to Tony Vaughan, the council’s new presiding member, the plan will work to achieve quality services for all residents and health providers.

In addition, the plan will also involve consultation on a long-awaited Barossa health care facility.

This Barossa Health Service area has three health advisory councils hard at work; Barossa, Eudunda-Kapunda and Gawler.

Mr Vaughan explained that each council strives to achieve continuity for all the health services, rather than competing against each other.

“We don’t want to go about over-promising or under-delivering services,” he said.

The Health Advisory Councils held annual general meetings in March, when the Barossa group saw a change of members.

Former presiding member, Wyndham Rogers resigned after providing more than 11 years with the Barossa Health Service before it was changed to an advisory council by Country Health SA in July, 2008.

His departure was joined by a handful of members who also sat on the steering committee.

For Mr Rogers, a Tanunda-based lawyer, his decision was made so he could focus on running his own business.

“I don’t have the time to give to the committee what it requires,” he said.

Mr Vaughan is now the only member to move from the old committee to the new.

He explained the change in the group will further enhance the region as members are now expected to represent and consult with their communities.

“It’s refreshing to have a new group of people who also have the ability to represent the community and link this with their backgrounds,” he added.

Members include a mix of police, young people, ambulance officers, doctors and representatives from local and state governments.

In addition to producing the 10-year plan the committee will develop a website which will allow residents to gain access to support services.