Health workers who reside in Albury, but work outside of the newly defined "border region" are reeling from news they can no longer leave NSW without quarantining two weeks on their return - unless they happen to work at Wangaratta hospital.
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Northeast Health Wangaratta last month negotiated with the NSW government to grant special exemptions for its NSW-based workers, allowing about 80 staff to return to to their duties at the hospital.
NHW director David Kidd said the Chief Health Officer's exemption letters were still valid with the third version of the border permit system, announced this week.
"They haven't been revoked at this point, but they can pull the pin on it at any time," he said.
"The only challenge we've got is with patients, but because medical is still exempt, you can get through (from Victoria to NSW) for appointments.
"It's more an issue for NSW people coming into Victoria, accessing services here, then heading back up."
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He said private health providers had been asking how the hospital was able to obtain an exemption.
"It was our health department negotiating with the NSW health department, so it was a high level consultation," Mr Kidd said.
"Private providers probably need to get together or get their associations to work with NSW Health."
The new border permits will prevent private health care workers from leaving Albury to go to work in places such as Wangaratta and Beechworth.
Podiatrist Andrew Carter is one of those workers no longer able to travel from his Albury home to his Wangaratta workplace without needing to quarantine on his return to NSW.
"No full time podiatrist works at North East Health and the private practice where I am employed sees patients from the hospital rehabilitation ward as well as medical wards due to this," he said.
"These new restrictions are not imposed on any worker that works at the Wangaratta hospital.
"I find it ridiculous that exemptions can be made for other services ... It is a higher risk for critical care workers within the hospital to travel back to Albury than a private practice."