Albury Wodonga Health CEO Stuart Spring.
ALBURY Wodonga Health is leaner and more effective than when it was two hospitals under separate state governments, says its chief executive Stuart Spring.
In defence of criticisms by accountant Stan Stavros, he said he had “obviously struggled to interpret our performance”.
“The increase in administrative staffing is explainable in that the vast majority of the increase in positions are due to the transfer to Albury Wodonga Health, over the past two years, of administrative and other support service staff who until then, had worked in NSW Health.
“The funding for these staff was already in the Albury Wodonga Health budget but the staffing numbers were not reported.”
He confirmed an increase in board members.
“This increase is firstly due to the appointment by the Minister of Health, in 2011-12, of an additional two board members—bringing the total number of board members to eight, a 33 per cent increase.
“When analysed with the benefit of further data — there has been no “massive blowout” — to the contrary — while there is always more to do.
“AWH today is leaner and more effective than the two hospitals acting independently.”