City2City celebrates five years and $500,000 back into Albury-Wodonga Health

That is what the annual City2City Run Walk has given back to the local cross-border health service.

But do you know how it has been spent?

From special rooms for the sickest new babies, to a time and money saving ultrasound machine and a future garden and activity space for the mental health unit.

Albury-Wodonga Health use the money wisely each year, which has tallied more than 540,000 to date, and although the bidding process is competitive between departments everyone agrees the health care on the Border is all the better for it.

Critical care nurse unit manager Helen McKee, who has twice seen her unit benefit from the money, said staff are always looking at new ways to spend the money.

"City2City is growing every year and our health service is benefiting every time," she said.

"But it is also good for the community. Often the hospital is seen as a bad thing so to highlight where the community money is being spent, for the benefit of the community, is really important and a really good thing.

"For the staff doing it they can see it coming back into the hospital but I think for the community it is a really good thing for the hospital.

IN OTHER NEWS:

"We know the government doesn't give us enough money, it would be a lot of chook raffles and BBQs to get that type of money so it is really those big ticket items that the staff really think about.

"The departments heads put together a bid and then the beneficiary is announced from there.

"We get quite a lot of other donations, which are often person donations and are quite small, which are all really important, but this is a big donation which can go a long way."

The inaugural City2City in 2015 raised $100,000 which went toward the funding of more mobile cardiac monitoring units, or telemetry units.

The second year $110,000 was raised and helped fund nine preventative mental health programs.

In 2017 the $110,000 went towards the nursery at the Wodonga maternity ward.

Last year $107,000 was spent on a purchase of an Endo Bronchial Ultrasound Scope (E-BUS).

"I think it is really good that it is spread out around different areas," Mrs McKee said.

"Although there is a bit of competitiveness between the staff it is really a motivator to put your bid in and get those conversations started about what the money can be used for.

"Every unit has their needs and every year the money is well thought out and well spent.

"The chronic care unit bought a new ultrasound unit last year which is really beneficial because it allows us to do bedside procedures.

"The initial donation in the first year for the telemetry units were really beneficial because we can monitor the patients on the ward.

"And we can remotely monitor them."

Mrs McKee said the ultrasound machine saves time, money and travel.

"Rather then having to wait for an outside provider or a cardiologist to come, David our director has the ability to use it at their bedside," she said.

"Before we had the machine they would have to go to Melbourne for a recording of their heart as a quite invasive procedure.

"But not we can just pop it in by their bedside."

Although the event hasn't run yet, next year's beneficiary has already been announced.

And whatever the amount is - mental health inpatient facility Nolan House will make the money go far.

Nurse unit manager Jess Cullen said the staff and patients are already excited for what the money could mean for the unit.

"The funds will go towards redeveloping one of our existing courtyards which is a really nice but large outdoor space," she said.

"There isn't a lot in it at the moment and is really under utilised so we have plans to put in some table tennis tables and recreational equipment like a large outdoor chess board.

"Probably the number one feedback from our patients is that there isn't a lot to do while they are in hospital, they do get a bit bored.

"We are also hoping to put in some vegetable gardens."

Mrs Cullen said the upgrade won't only transform the space but it will help to expand the programs available to patients.

"We are hoping to implement a horticultural program with the veggie gardens and then piggyback off that with a cooking program as well," she said.

"Some of the patients that come through don't have a lot of those skills such as cooking or gardening. So if we can help them to develop some of those skills while they are in hospital and then incorporate that into the discharge process that will possibly lead to a decrease length of stay.

"They are also less likely to be readmitted

"It will just make their stay a lot more pleasant - they wont be sitting back ruminating on all their stresses and everything that is going on in life at the moment."

Two years ago the Border's newest residents and their mothers were the ones reaping the rewards of the City2City cash.

The Wodonga maternity ward upgraded the nursery, installed day night blinds in all the rooms and purchased 16 purpose built breastfeeding chairs.

Women's and children's operations director Julie Wright said when babies were born unwell there wasn't any special rooms for them to be cared for in.

"They were just in with everyone else in the nursery," she said.

"So with the money we built a high acuity bay so we have two devoted cots in there for babies who are really seriously unwell or need ventilation and retrieval to Melbourne.

"It also gives the mothers a bit more privacy when in the nursery.

"It is fantastic and with the other money we put the night day blinds through the whole ward and 16 purpose built breast feeding chairs."

Although a simple upgrade, the day night blinds "make a big difference".

"The blinds are really fantastic so you can really block the room out and mum can have a really good sleep or you can let the night one up and let some light in but it is still private," Mrs Wright said.

"We also never really had purpose built breastfeeding chairs, we bought some years ago when mid opened in Wodonga but they were hopeless with wooden arms, so these new ones are great.

"We did a lot of research and had a look at what was around for the chairs so we didn't rush into it.

"We average 16 mums a day so we have that many chairs and they can be moved around when mums come and go.

"They are particularly helpful for first time mothers learning to breastfeed for the first time."

The AWH staff said every year the benefits of the City2City money are rewarding, but there is always more areas for money to be spent.

"It is a motivator in a lot of ways," Mrs Wright said.

"We are always looking at other ways the money can be spent and each unit and ward have really good conversations about what can make their unit better for our patients.

"That is what it is all about - making our health care the best it can be.

"We just want to say keep doing City2City because our health care is all the better for it."

City2City 2020 is on February 16 and includes a new 15 kilometre course.

Registrations are open at city2city.com.au