New hospital, New site

AlburyCity, together with 12 other regional councils, is committed to advocating for a fully funded, new single-site hospital to meet the current and future health needs of the Albury-Wodonga region. The planned redevelopment of Albury Hospital falls short of what’s required, with services already being cut and the proposed redevelopment not addressing our community’s growing demand for healthcare.

We are calling on the New South Wales and Victorian governments to pause current plans and redirect efforts toward a new hospital, built on a suitable location in either Albury or Wodonga. In the meantime, we are seeking urgent interim solutions to address ongoing capacity deficits, such as modular wards and theatres, while ensuring the $558 million allocated for the redevelopment remains intact.

The alliance of councils includes AlburyCity, Alpine, Benalla, Indigo, Mansfield, Moira, Towong, Wangaratta, Wodonga, Edward River, Federation, Lockhart and Berrigan.

New hospital, New site - Community Rally

More than 400 people gathered at Albury’s QEII Square on Saturday, 29 March, to rally for a new, greenfield single-site hospital on the Border.

Attendees heard impassioned pleas from medical professionals on the frontline, including doctors Lachie McKeeman and Tracey Merriman, nurse Kylie Felton and retired paramedic Mike Fuery, along with Better Border Health director Stan Stavros.

Emotions were high as speakers offered their first-hand experiences with the current system, including Towong Shire Mayor Andrew Whitehead who brought a very personal and heart-felt perspective to the gathering.

AlburyCity Mayor Kevin Mack and Wodonga Mayor Michael Gobel urged governments at all levels not to prioritise budgets over the region’s health needs.

They pledged to continue advocating to:

Pause the current hospital redevelopment plans
Provide urgent relief now – modular wards and theatres are needed immediately
Return to the original 2021 Clinical Services Plan which recommends a single-site hospital
Build it once, build it right on a new greenfield site

Why the current Albury Hospital redevelopment falls short:

Inadequate funding of $558 million
Drastically reduced capacity
Minimal actual expansion
Continued use of dilapidated wards
No increase in critical services
Missing essential facilities
Split healthcare services across two cities remains

Why a new single-site hospital is needed:

Patient safety at risk
Beds consistently exceeding 100% capacity
Waiting lists three to four years for essential surgeries
Insufficient duplication of services across two hospitals

Your voice matters, and together, we can secure the health services our community deserves.

Albury Wodonga Hospital Advocacy

At the first official meeting on 14 October 2024, AlburyCouncil’s newly elected representatives resolved to support and advocate for the development of a fully funded, new single-site hospital for the Albury-Wodonga region.

Councillors resolved that Council:

Note that the planned redevelopment of Albury Hospital is not adequate to meet current, let alone future community needs, and that planned and promised services have been cut since the project was announced;
Supports the development of a fully funded, new single-site hospital for the Albury-Wodonga region in a suitable location in either Albury or Wodonga that, at a minimum, meets the requirements established by the 2021 Clinical Services Plan;
Calls on the State Governments of New South Wales and Victoria to pause the current redevelopment plans for the Albury Hospital and redirect efforts towards a fully funded, new single-site development in Albury-Wodonga;
Urgently seeks assurances from the New South Wales and Victorian State Governments to allay the fears of our community that the $558 million investment allocated to the Albury Hospital will not be in jeopardy regardless of the form the new hospital may take;
Continues to call on the State Governments of Victoria and New South Wales to immediately provide interim solutions, such as modular wards and theatres and step-down beds, to address the ongoing capacity deficits;
Urgently communicates this position to the New South Wales and Victorian Ministers and Shadow Ministers for Health and the Federal Minister and Shadow Minister for Health;
Notes the positions already adopted by Wodonga Council, Indigo Shire Council, Alpine Shire Council, Towong Shire Council and Federation Council, and seek opportunities for collaboration in relation to this matter;
Requests that the CEO:
1. produce a report by no later than 30 November 2024, that identifies potential suitable locations for a new single-site hospital;
2. use the Council’s communication channels, including but not limited to the AlburyCity website, social media channels, and newsletters to inform the community of this decision.