'We don't feel safe': Hospital staff say parking situation is a fine mess

A nurse told The Border Mail that afternoon shift workers are being left with nowhere to park, resulting in council fines for street parking.

Two doctors, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the problem had been ongoing for some time, with some staff receiving fines of $190.

AWH chief executive Bill Appleby said the hospital was aware of the "serious challenges" and that additional parking was a "key consideration" in the hospital's $558 million redevelopment.

On Wednesday, May 15, Albury council issued 10 formal cautions to cars parked on the nature strip in East Street.

"Council has received complaints from the public about unauthorised parking on the nature strip in East St, near the Albury Base Hospital. We reached out to Albury Wodonga Health yesterday to discuss our concerns," Albury council deputy chief executive Brad Ferris said.

"Cautions are issued as part of education and compliance activities and are not financial penalties.

"Council has been informed that some vehicles are being driven along the public footpath to enable parking on the nature strip, which poses a public health and safety risk. Where such a risk has been identified, council has an obligation to protect the community, and public assets from unauthorised activities."

One female doctor told The Border Mail that there is nowhere near enough parking at either hospital, and she fears the problem will get worse as Albury hospital expands.

"Typically, if you arrive for an afternoon shift, the main car parks are all full, which means you end up parking on the street at least five, 10 minutes walk from the hospital," she said.

"Then, nurses finish at like 9.30pm. For us, it's 11 or 11.30pm. You end up walking out in the dark in a somewhat dodgy part of town, and you don't feel safe."

The doctor said that after a couple of incidents at Albury and Wodonga hospitals last year, where people were threatened at knife point, the hospital told staff to either "move their car closer during their dinner break" or ask a security guard to walk them to their car.

But the doctor said wait times for security guards are often long.

In a June 2023 internal email seen by The Border Mail, AWH said "in light of several recent serious incidents at both Albury and Wodonga hospital car parks, we ask all staff to adhere to the following car parking directives ..."

The email goes on to list alternative parking areas, some of which are a "five to 10-minute walk from the hospital", and instructs night workers to call a security guard when leaving work.

In another email, dated November, 2023, AWH said "as we are all aware car parking at our hospitals, particularly at the Albury campus, is extremely limited and exceeds demand at times.

"Our primary goal is to increase accessibility and safety for afternoon and night shift staff, visitors and patients, with a particular focus on those arriving and leaving in darkness."

Mr Appleby said he understands his staff's frustration.

"(AWH) recognises the significant challenges our staff, patients and visitors face with parking at our two hospital campuses in Albury and Wodonga. As a regional health service, located in areas with limited public transport options, we understand the frustration and difficulties that can be experienced attending our campuses. Certainly, the creation of additional parking as an outcome of the $558M redevelopment at the Albury campus is a key consideration," he said.

"Our primary focus is to ensure the safe access and egress for our patients and their families. Limited onsite parking is certainly not unusual for health services across the country, and we encourage staff where possible to use other modes of transport.

"We appreciate the efforts of our staff and visitors to find alternative parking solutions and encourage everyone to park legally and safely.

"We are committed to working collaboratively with our local neighbours and stakeholders and are dedicated to making sustainable improvements that support our community's needs while prioritising safety and accessibility for all."

The inadequacy of planning, especially in not constructing a multi-storey staff car park despite increased demands, has been criticised by staff members

"If they're planning for (Albury hospital) to be the new health precinct, why would you not build a multi-storey car park when you had the opportunity?" the doctor said.

"For patients as well, there's such limited parking that patients who come into the emergency, if they get a park on the street, it's only for two hours.

"Often, they'll wait that long to be seen. By the time that we're seeing them, they're already stressing about their car being left out."

Another doctor, who chose to remain anonymous, said similar challenges are echoed in Wodonga.

"In Wodonga, that hospital's got one small car park. Then once that is full, which is usually by 10am you've got to park in the (Wodonga Bulldogs ground), which has no street lighting at all," she said.

"It's really sketchy to walk back. I always call someone when I'm walking out."

The doctor said she no longer drives to Albury hospital and has her husband walk her home after her shift at 11pm.

"At that time of night, you might run into patients and you might have refused them their meds or something," she said.

"Then, suddenly, you're walking home alone."

With the looming expansion of Albury hospital, the doctor expects the parking problem to spiral.

"It will get worse because it's going to be a bigger hospital, with more staff," she said.

"But not only staff, patients won't be able to park. I think it's just going to get worse and worse.

"People will be parked everywhere around all the housing and the streets, which is not necessarily safe for the patient, staff or community."