A NEW hospital being built within 15 minutes of a NSW border on a virgin site.
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That's what former chair of Albury Wodonga Health Nicki Melville would like to see and that is what is happening.
Regrettably for Ms Melville though the new border medi-hub has emerged near NSW's northern frontier rather than its southern fringe, with the Tweed hospital being opened in May while an upgrade of Albury hospital remains in planning.
"Our people require a hospital that is fit-for-purpose, future-proofed and able to recruit, train and retain the best clinicians," Ms Melville has told lobby group Better Border Health.
"Only a single-site hospital on a greenfield, unhindered site will accomplish that."
NSW provided $723 million to build Tweed's hospital on land south of the existing Tweed Heads location.
It is the biggest amount to have been spent on a NSW hospital outside Sydney and it is level five category which means it has a higher emergency status than Albury which is a level four.
Given that scenario, residents of the southern Riverina and North East Victoria are entitled to ask why such a large sum has not been forthcoming to Albury?
Is this a reflection of NSW wanting to piggyback on Victoria, which is financially troubled but administers the Albury hospital?
In turn are both states unwilling to contribute substantial amounts to hospital services on the fringe of their jurisdictions because they fail to see the bigger picture of the region or are politically driven?
It has taken five years since building at the new Tweed hospital site at Cudgen, about 15 minutes drive south of the Queensland border, began.
A construction start date for Albury hospital is yet to be confirmed and it will involve major disruption for patients.
The Tweed example and Dr Melville's comments indicate there is a better way.
