Damage to Albury hospital ward sees Bill Tilley call for upgrade halt

Albury Wodonga Health documents from April-May 2022 tell of how the medical ward 2 building has suffered structural and cosmetic damage from 2016 with a large gap between an exterior brick wall and the inside western wall.

Engineers concluded in March 2021 that there was seasonal movement of up to 60 millimetres prompted by building on highly reactive clay soils "which may experience high ground movement with moisture change".

Then Albury Wodonga Health director of infrastructure Phillip Todhunter summarised the issue to then acting chief executive Janet Chapman in a briefing note on May 4, 2022.

In that document, Mr Todhunter stated that work to fix the movement would need to occur in 2023, noting that the consulting firm Belvoir Engineering "was only supportive of a 12-month delay but was not supportive of any further delay beyond this point".

It was flagged that 20 beds would be unavailable due to the work.

Mr Todhunter declared "after extensive consultation with clinical staff it is evident that the complete closure of Med Ward 2....for 4-8 weeks is not possible without having a major adverse impact on clinical care due to a critical shortage of available beds".

The Border Mail asked Albury Wodonga Health if the work had proceeded and it indicated it had not. The health service also said the latest assessment of the building had confirmed it was safe to use.

Mr Todhunter said the damage could result "in the collapse of ceiling/roof and cause injury/death to patients, staff or render the area unusable for patient care", the risk assessment found before pointing to the potential for hazards due to damage to gas, power and water services.

Mr Todhunter in his note also posited that extreme wet weather and earthquakes could cause significant structural damage.

Despite noting "there is a risk that information relating to this delay in rectification could become public knowledge and raise concern within media/community groups", Mr Todhunter wrote that "a media release is not recommended".

Mr Tilley said the documents highlight a risk for further building works at the site.

"The reports suggest the slab for these buildings was under engineered, so that's fixable," Mr Tilley said.

"But it also describes the site, the old Albury saleyards, as 'consisting of highly reactive clay soils which may experience high ground movement from moisture changes'.

"Surely that's not the base for a billion-dollar investment, a multi-storey medical building or a multi-storey car park.

"What does that do to the cost of the build in Albury; NSW parliamentary papers show that the cost comparisons for a greenfield versus brownfield site did not include the cost of foundations and earthworks.

"The original recommendations was a greenfield site and that is what was needed, is needed and should now be planned for."

In response to The Border Mail's questions, Albury Wodonga Health chief of infrastructure Shaun Strachan downplayed any risks.

"Albury Wodonga Health is actively managing our medical ward 2 building, which has experienced some minor structural movement," Mr Strachan said.

"AWH has commissioned external consultants over a considerable period of time including Belvoir Consulting, to advise AWH on the structural integrity of the building.

"From the latest assessment in June 2023, they have confirmed the building is safe to be used.

"Additional surveying of the building has also taken place since June 2023 and Belvoir Consulting have reconfirmed its advice that the building is safe to be used.

"AWH takes safety extremely seriously in the administration of all its infrastructure assets."

No response was provided to a question about why a media release has not been issued on the matter.

NSW Health Infrastructure has also been contacted for comment.

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