North-East Victoria Regional Councils Advocate to Stop Major Hospital Redevelopment

Three regional councils in Victoria are demanding an immediate pause on a major hospital redevelopment, citing concerns that the $558 million upgrade may not meet the region's needs. At a meeting on Tuesday, representatives from Indigo, Alpine, and Towong councils expressed worry that redeveloping Albury Hospital at its current location could overlook essential clinical services and fail to adequately serve the area.

The councils are calling for immediate funding to plan and construct a new, single-site hospital on a greenfield site. They urge collaboration between the Federal, New South Wales, and Victorian governments to create a health service that addresses future regional needs. They are also advocating for the two state governments to deploy modular units at Albury Hospital to alleviate bed shortages.

For patients requiring hospital stays, the availability of nearby accommodations can significantly impact their overall experience. Currently, the shortage of suitable Hospital Stays accommodations around Albury Hospital adds to the strain, making it difficult for patients and their families to find convenient and comfortable places to stay during treatment.

During the Beechworth Town Hall meeting, Indigo Shire Mayor Sophie Price criticized both state and federal governments, describing the $558 million funding as a "deficit." "Whenever we seek funding, you're always demanding strategic justification and a clear, professional assessment of our communities' needs and the reasons behind our requests," she said. "We have to justify every penny we ask for."

"To see the 2021 clinical services plan completely ignored and receive only an election-promise amount of funding shows a total disregard for the standards you impose on us and your expectations when we request crucial taxpayer dollars for our communities."

"It's not big enough," Beechworth resident James Tool, who has lived in the town for 35 years, remarked. He noted that he had never seen residents so passionate about an issue. "It has to be built for the next 100 years, not just the next 30," he said. "We designed Baranduda Sports Fields with a vision for 50 to 100 years. What are we doing with a hospital that's already constrained?"

He expressed relief at the councils' push to abandon the Albury brownfield redevelopment but questioned its adequacy: "It's not big enough. Where's the parking? Where's the helicopter?"

Under pressure, Towong Shire Council Mayor Andrew Whitehead has personally experienced the shortcomings of the current health service, describing it as inadequate for local needs. His son broke his leg in June, just a day after a major community health forum in Wodonga discussing hospital issues, and had to be flown to Canberra for proper treatment. Now, the family must travel to Wagga Wagga for follow-up appointments due to the lack of services in Albury.

"The ability to have these services in Albury-Wodonga, where we're only an hour away, just makes sense for our communities. I don't believe we're asking too much," he said. Mr. Whitehead recounted a recent visit to Albury's Emergency Department, where he saw staff administering cannulas to patients in the waiting room. After waiting five hours, he and a family member were placed in a resuscitation bay due to bed shortages. "It was a real eye-opener for me about what’s happening in our hospital," he said.

Lack of State Advocacy

The meeting followed concerns raised by federal Indi MP Helen Haines about insufficient advocacy from the Victorian and New South Wales health ministers in securing more funding for Albury Hospital's redevelopment. Ms. Haines revealed that documents obtained through Freedom of Information show the state ministers had not contacted Federal Health Minister Mark Butler regarding the issue.

"What these documents reveal is a lack of effort by the Victorian and NSW governments to secure a better deal for people on the border," Ms. Haines told parliament.

A Victorian government spokesperson responded that the state continues to advocate for a fair share of health funding from the Commonwealth, including through ongoing negotiations related to the National Health Reform Agreement.

NSW Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park stated that the Albury Hospital redevelopment represents the second-largest investment in a regional hospital in NSW's history. "The NSW government is actively advocating for increased funding for the NSW health system through the National Health Reform Agreement," he said.