Better Border Health and Border Medical Association to stage second rally two weeks out from Victorian election

The rally, organised by lobby group Better Border Health and Border Medical Association, aims to voice concerns that Albury-Wodonga has been ignored by the Victorian government after its multi-million dollar announcements to fund new hospitals in other regional centres and Melbourne.

It will be held on November 13 at Wodonga's Junction Square, less than a fortnight before the Victorian election.

Hundreds gathered for the first Better Border Health rally at Gateway Lakes in May as patients took centre stage to air their grievances about the struggling system and offered praise and sympathy for the staff working within it.

Better Border Health's Di Thomas said it appeared Albury Wodonga Health was no closer to a commitment from the Victorian, NSW and federal governments to build a new hospital on a new site.

"Albury Wodonga Health remains at a straining point and continues to suffer from years of financial neglect, when compared with similar regional centres in Victoria," she said.

"We know this cause has widespread support and our group of business and community leaders believe it is time to once again express the rising frustration and disappointment."

Ms Thomas said attendees were encouraged to dress as health care workers or patients and wear bandages.

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Victorian Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas hinted "lots of announcements" were to come ahead of the election on November 26, but did not specify if the state government would fund a new hospital for Albury-Wodonga when asked by media in Melbourne on Thursday.

"We make assessments and decisions based on the need and the demand and the planning that has gone into them," she said.

"There's six weeks or so (until the election) and we've got lots of announcements.

"We have been working with our counterparts in NSW on the development of a master plan to ensure the people of Albury-Wodonga have access to the health services they need."

Benambra MP Bill Tilley said the only way to get a new hospital was to elect a Liberal-Nationals government led by Matthew Guy.

Mr Tilley reinforced only the opposition had stumped up cash for it.

"Our promise is a $300 million kickstart to a new hospital, more if needed, for a three-way partnership with the feds and NSW," he said.

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"We've heard the horror stories - emergency waiting room chaos, elective surgery blowouts, people turning up at emergency with issues that must be treated immediately when had the surgery wait list been shorter they would not have got to that point.

"We must plan - we know that we need more acute and surgical beds, double the dialysis chairs, twice as many recovery beds, greater theatre capacity, more neonatal intensive care capacity and within 20 years triple the amount of geriatric evaluation and management services."

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