INDIGO Shire Council is calling on residents to join the fight for a new single-site Albury-Wodonga hospital by taking to the steps of the Victorian Parliament next Wednesday. Mayor Sophie Price said a strong message needed to be sent to the state government that current plans to redevelop Albury Hospital are inadequate and will not meet the needs of growing communities. In a message to the Indigo community, Cr Price said the issue is more than an Albury-Wodonga hospital problem. “It’s a regional health issue impacting more than 300,000 people,” she said. The council is among 17 regional councils advocating for a new hospital unanimously committed to escalating advocacy. The advocacy comes as Indigo Shire recorded the lowest percentage of ‘lights and sirens’ ambulance responses within the 15-minute benchmark in the last quarter of 2024. Member for Benambra Bill Tilley believes it’s all related to the lack of beds at Albury Wodonga Health and told the Victorian Parliament last week. “That is the root cause of why ambulances are ramped and surgeries delayed,” he said. Mr Tilley said only one in five life-or-death emergency ambulance callouts were reached in the critical time window late last year. Albury Wodonga Health waiting lists increasing by about 10 per cent to 3665 people. “The average wait for Category 2 patients is 431 days with these patients supposed to be treated inside 90 days.,” Mr Tilley said. “Towong Shire has the longest average wait time for life -threatening emergencies in the state, more than double the benchmark. “The health services are in crisis. “We can argue and play politics about the future of Albury Wodonga Health but I’m increasingly worried about the here and now. “The category break-up of the waiting list is not included in the latest data dump. “But the total number increased by 300 people in three months, the average waiting for surgery is horrendous and yet we know there are people waiting far longer. “If a Wodonga ambulance is stuck at Albury Base Hospital trying to offload a patient because there are not enough beds, they call in the Beechworth service, then the Tallangatta ambos and so they all get sucked into Albury-Wodonga, leaving their communities exposed.” He said the state government had threatened fining hospitals if ambulances can’t offload patients in 40 minutes, but beds were not being provided. Although numbers haven’t been finalised for the trip to Melbourne, the mayor and three councillors will join other mayors and councillors from various regional shires. Representatives from Border Medical Association as well as Better Border Health advocates and community members will also travel to the city. To join the group travelling to Melbourne visit the Better Border Health Facebook page to register.
