Albury Wodonga Health has averted a major staffing crisis created by the latest border closure changes introduced without warning by the NSW government last Friday.
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The cross-border health service management successfully secured temporary exemptions for critical care workers in a frantic day of negotiations with the state government.
"We've worked with NSW Health to secure temporary exemptions for a select group of AWH critical care employees who live outside the border region, but need to cross into NSW to deliver services," AWH chief executive Michael Kalimnios said yesterday.
The temporary exemptions will be valid until August 23 while NSW Health determine a more permanent fix with talks resuming today.
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Medical professionals were left in a state of shock when critical staff were unable to cross the border on Friday when their home addresses fell outside the postcode areas of the newly created border region.
Areas such as Beechworth and Yackandandah have been out the border bubble since the border closure began more than a month ago.
Member for Albury Justin Clancy said the issues faced by medical staff were unintended consequences of the changes made with no prior warning.
"We've got staff in health despite these challenges thrown at them are working so hard to make sure the impacts are being minimised," he said.
"I'm extremely grateful to them, but also our Service NSW people on the ground here who are being equally challenged when these public health orders change.
"They wear the brunt of it and likewise the police.
"It's got to be exasperating for them as well."
