Victorian Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas has not dismissed Shepparton-based Goulburn Valley Health managing Albury Wodonga Health, despite it being a smaller service and more than 170 kilometres from the Twin Cities.
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A regional health merger list, supplied to Victorian Opposition health spokeswoman Georgie Crozier, has Goulburn Valley Health leading hospitals across the North East, including sites in Albury-Wodonga, Beechworth, Benalla, Tallangatta, Wangaratta and Yarrawonga.
The Border Mail asked Ms Thomas at the official opening of the new Albury hospital emergency department if AWH would come under the administration of Goulburn Valley Health.
She did not rebut that happening, saying "firstly no decisions have been taken in relation to mergers which I know are being speculated about" before saying health service delivery across Victoria was being examined.
The possibility of a Shepparton takeover has raised concerns from Albury-Wodonga state politicians, Wodonga mayor Ron Mildren and lobby group Better Border Health.
Benambra MP Bill Tilley said the concept was worse than a plan from 2021 that would have had Wangaratta health administrators overseeing Wodonga.
"I want to see one example of where a service has improved by being further removed from the decision makers," Mr Tilley said.
"We do not look towards Shepparton for anything, no one turns right at Benalla when they need to get medical help.
"The minister can say this is a working document, but we know this is all but set in stone."
Albury MP Justin Clancy said a shake-up needed to take account of Border needs.
"With ongoing suggestions that the Victorian department of health is undertaking a restructure of management for regional health services it continues to be imperative to recognise the unique nature of our cross-border health service and to ensure the provision of equitable, quality health care for our community," Mr Clancy said.
"I expect that Albury Wodonga Health would be fully consulted and that the NSW government would be engaged if there are any impacts."
AWH chair Jonathan Green said he had "no information around Goulburn Valley Health administering Albury Wodonga Health in the long term".
Asked if he would argue to have AWH quarantined from a super health merger led by Goulburn Valley Health, Mr Green replied "we see ourselves as a regional leader".
"We're the second-largest regional hospital in the state so we believe we're naturally positioned to lead our region, whatever shape that looks like," Mr Green said.
Cr Mildren posited AWH being "subordinate" to Goulburn Valley Health seemed logical only in the context of a prelude to a Border health service break-up.
"When you see Goulburn Valley Health as a much, much smaller facility than Albury Wodonga Health that makes absolutely no sense unless you look at it through the lens of perhaps Albury Wodonga Health being wound down and if that's the case the future would suggest Wodonga hospital will report to Goulburn Valley hospital and perhaps Albury hospital will become part of the Murrumbidgee network again," Cr Mildren said.
"That's something that makes sense in light of what's being done."
Better Border Health representative Di Thomas said the entertaining a possible Goulburn Valley Health takeover was indicative of a failure to comprehend Border needs.
"I know the decision hasn't been made, but the very fact they are considering that says to me that they fail to understand the size and complexity of this health region," Ms Thomas said.
"We are the biggest health region between Sydney and Melbourne, we get told that by the people that manage the health service, why are we being put under Goulburn Valley which is not the biggest health service between Sydney and Melbourne."
