In a small rural town, 50 jobs unrelated to the tourism industry do not come cheap.

They’ll be missed, as will the knock-on effect of salaries spent at Eurobodalla businesses.

Missed too, will be the health services patients - not to mention Eurobodalla GPs and specialist nurses - had come to rely upon.

They included counselling in an area where mental health services are thin on the ground.

They also included specialist Indigenous health services, often delivered by Indigenous health workers who understood their communities.

The community group which fought so hard for a specialist Parkinson’s nurse will be wondering now how long they will be able to keep her.

Her services were won only after a concerted drive and recruitment campaign by Medicare Local.

It remains to be seen if a centralised service, now to be run from the Illawarra-Shoalhaven, and servicing a much larger area, will meet the health needs of the Eurobodalla.

If the shift to Primary Health Networks, as they are known for the moment, is about cutting costs - that may well have been achieved.

If it was about delivering more and better care to far-flung communities, the jury is out.

Right now, in the Eurobodalla, there is disappointment, uncertainty and fear.

All stakeholders - health professionals and patients - will be watching very closely the performance of the successful bidder.

Health was a hot issue in the recent NSW Election - as promises from both major parties on nursing numbers and hospital care attested to.

It is no less an issue on the federal stage, as Eden-Monaro MP Peter Hendy understands.

Dr Hendy said he supported Southern NSW Medicare Local’s unsuccessful bid to become one of the networks.

The electorate in this bellwether seat will be hoping the new network will deliver the services they need - and employ locals to do so.