Answers sought over Albury hospital plans at NSW parliamentary hearing

Ryan Park and NSW Health Infrastructure chief executive Rebecca Wark were quizzed for more than 20 minutes by Albury-based Upper House MP Amanda Cohn as part of a budget estimates hearing in Sydney on Thursday, October 26.

When asked about bed numbers, Mr Park replied: "I'll go and get some additional information but I should say to you, that that is normally developed as part of the master plan process which is under way."

Ms Wark said bed numbers could be counted in various ways "but that's usually developed in the next stage of planning, in consultation with Albury users and prioritisation of all of the services and the scope".

Dr Cohn also raised concerns about the ground conditions at the hospital, in light of damage reported to medical ward 2 building, and asked if geotechnical reports had been done.

Ms Wark noted Albury Wodonga Health had commissioned reports on medical ward 2 rather than Health Infrastructure.

"We have relied on the content of some of those in our discussions with our engineering consultants who are engaged as part of the hospital redevelopment," she said.

Albury Wodonga Health on Thursday, October 26, issued a media statement about that building which echoed a statement last week that it was safe to use, but included a comment from Belvoir Consulting director David Sharp.

"Our latest assessment in July 2023 found no escalation of structural issues or safety concerns and we advised Albury Wodonga Health that the building is safe to be used," Mr Sharp said.

Albury Wodonga Health chief of infrastructure Shaun Strachan said the next structural assessment of the ward was slated for December.

"We will provide updates to staff as we continue to monitor the structural integrity and continued safety of medical ward 2," Mr Strachan said.

In her questioning at the hearing, Dr Cohn linked the bed shortages that would occur with repairing ward 2 to what planning was occurring in relation to patient housing while upgrade works unfolded.

Ms Wark could not provide particulars, although she noted the soon to be opened new emergency department would assist that process.

Dr Cohn also raised the December 2021 master plan which recommended a new Border hospital and contrasted it with correspondence of Victorian and NSW bureaucrats a month earlier when brownfields options were being considered.

Mr Park said he was conscious of objections to not proceeding with a greenfields hospital.

"I know, I'm well aware people would like a brand new site...but at the moment this is where we are focused on delivering," Mr Park said.

He pointed to relatively new infrastructure at Albury hospital, such as the cancer centre, as a key reason for building on the Borella Road campus.

Dr Cohn asked Mr Park if he would review the brownfields decision, based on issues she had raised with bed numbers, ground conditions, undocumented meetings and patient housing.

"No, not at this stage but it doesn't mean I'm not engaging in correspondence that comes before me and I'm not seeking advice from the experts in Health Infrastructure," Mr Park said.

"As information comes in I review it, I get it evaluated, I get advice on it."

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