The hospital is always a hot topic in any regional centre, and it’s rare any country city will be fully satisfied with the state of its government-run facility.

Especially in modern times, when centralisation has become vogue for all state and federal governments at the benefit of a healthier bottom line.

But there was more to the Griffith Base Hospital back in the 60s and 70s, when the city’s pride and joy was the envy of towns and cities all over New South Wales.

The city’s reputation for banding together and supporting noble causes saw the region’s largest health service become a direct beneficiary, boasting state-of-the-art facilities, modern technology and a relative abundance of equipment.

Fast forward almost half a century, and Griffith’s pride and joy has become a sub-par embarrassment, where services, staff and facilities have been slowly stripped away to leave the bare bones.

There’s also a drastic change in thinking among Griffith residents, who now know to add a plaque to any donated equipment, in an effort to avoid having it transferred to a larger hospital.

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For NSW Health Pathology to suggest losing services is somehow a positive for the city is salt in residents’ wounds after seeing the pride of the NSW health system slowly gutted over time.

This ‘proposal’ was set in stone well before the soon-to-be departing medical experts were told of their fate, which meant enough was enough for two noble hospital staff putting their necks on the line.

Dr Narayanan Jayachandran’s (Jaya) and Dr Maxwell Hopp’s outcry on social media last weekend was the clarity the city has been screaming for regarding its hospital.

The two rogue doctors defied NSW Health’s media policy and spoke out against the changes to the hospital’s histopathology service.

They emphasised their frustration with the decision, their dismay at the lack of local consultation, and the sorry state the hospital has become after years of downgrading and service relocations.

They’ve taken the first step towards fighting back, and the unanimously supported cause has the mayor’s immediate support.

Let’s hope the Premier listens when she visits next month.