THE chief executive of Albury Wodonga Health says without a funding windfall there will be no changes to emergency and birthing services at Wodonga hospital.
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Leigh McJames said there had been a service plan since 2011 to have one hospital but it can only be realised with major government finance.
“In the long term as this community grows and demand grows it would seem logical you would look to colocate, that could well be at Thurgoona or a greenfields site in Victoria,” he said.
“The balls remain in the air.”
He was commenting in the wake of an unsuccessful motion put to Wodonga Council’s meeting on Monday night to condemn any decision of AWH to take acute services out of Wodonga.
Councillor Ron Mildren put the motion after the Wodonga Ratepayers’ Association aired concerns at the possible closure of emergency and obstetric areas.
Mr McJames said: “There is no approved plan or funding to close or move the emergency department in Wodonga, it’s as simple as that.
“You would need a lot of money to do that and the board would have to approve such a plan.”
Mr McJames said the same parameters applied to the birthing suites and wards.
Wodonga councillor Libby Hall told Monday’s meeting it was vital emergency services stayed at her city’s hospital.
“Having the emergency centre open at Wodonga hospital meant (the difference between) life and death for my husband last year,” she said.
“He had a huge coronary heart attack.
“They said to me if he hadn’t have gotten to the hospital when he did, if I had to have gone over to Albury he would have been dead.”
Cr Mildren, who spoke of AWH shifting Albury’s hospital to Thurgoona, acted after a Nine News report citing the ratepayers’ association.
He was criticised by former mayor John Watson for relying on hearsay.
Mayor Anna Speedie also voted against Cr Mildren’s motion, saying any advocacy had to come through being fully informed by AWH.
