‘Crisis point’: Border doctors call for new Albury-Wodonga hospital

Victoria’s historic cross-border health service is crumbling under pressure, as Albury-Wodonga medical staff plea for change.

Medical professionals are urging the Victorian Government to recommit to the long-term future of Albury Wodonga Health by backing construction of a new hospital.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews was the state’s Health Minister in 2009, when the first cross-border service of its type was created in Australia by the Victorian and NSW governments, with the Victorian state government in charge.

AWH’s population catchment of more than 300,000 people, stretching from Deniliquin to the Upper Murray is bigger than Bendigo and Ballarat and is presently served by two ageing hospitals in Albury and Wodonga.

But the Border Medical Association said the service was in “crisis” trying to keep pace with additional demand using outdated infrastructure.

Last week AWH was forced to declare a “Code Yellow” when staff struggled to treat a spike of patients presenting to its emergency departments for chest pain or possible strokes following the Victorian Labor Day weekend.

A “Code Yellow” reduces a hospital’s ability to function normally with some patients forced to wait in ambulances.

“There are not enough beds, theatres or resources to deal with how quickly our community is growing,” BMA chairwoman Barb Robertson said.

“Our staff are stretched and overrun and we continue to risk our patients dividing resources between two hospitals only seven kilometres apart.

“We desperately need a single site new hospital, not just short-term bandaids that will see our issues compounded for generations to come.”

A master plan paid for by the NSW Government into the future health infrastructure needs has been completed, but is still to be publicly released by the Victorian Government.

A $36m upgrade of Albury’s emergency department, largely paid for by the NSW Government, hasn’t started yet.

Victorian Shadow Minister Health Georgie Crozier met with Albury Wodonga Health board members and Border Medical Association representatives last week. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Victorian Shadow Health Minister Georgie Crozier met with AWH board members and BMA representatives last week and called on Health Minister Martin Foley to do the same as a “matter of urgency”.

“The Minister needs to go and speak to those on the ground, hear the horror stories, see for himself,” she said.

“Perhaps then he might come clean with the border community and the dedicated health professionals who are fighting every day to keep the service going.”

Despite the present shortcomings, Ms Robertson said the cross-border model remained the best solution long term.

“We need to hold the line and continue to work as a cross-border health service,” she said.

“If anyone thinks they are better off moving to a division based on a border they are mistaken.”

The Victorian Government was contacted for comment.