No ‘Stage 2’ plan for Albury Hospital
NSW Health’s head of infrastructure has revealed there are no additional plans for Albury Hospital’s redevelopment beyond the current project scope.
NSW Health’s head of infrastructure has revealed there are no additional plans for Albury Hospital’s redevelopment beyond the current project scope.
In NSW Parliament’s budget estimates, Albury-based Greens spokesperson for Health Dr Amanda Cohn MLC grilled NSW Health Infrastructure Chief Executive Emma Skulander about the government’s plans for any future stages for the hospital.
Ms Skulander explained to the committee that any future stage would require a refresh of the clinical services plan and a proposal from Albury Wodonga Health to NSW and Victorian government processes to seek capital funding, to be considered by government in their prioritisation.
“What needs to happen is that the clinical services planning would need to be updated at the point in time that we're looking to put that through the next capital planning cycle and the master plan would be refreshed,” she said.
According to Dr Cohn, the government’s message is clear: there is no second stage coming.
“We have known for years that the state governments’ plan for Albury Hospital’s redevelopment won’t meet our community’s needs,” Dr Cohn said.
“Supporters of the government’s approach have claimed a staged approach at the current Albury Hospital site could deliver what we need. But it’s not coming. After this new building is built, we are back to the drawing board for clinical services planning from scratch. It could be a generation before we see any more capital funding for our region.
“This new building is not stage 1 of a staged brownfield development -- this is it, and we must hold government accountable to get it right.”
Ms Skulander told the committee that local health districts are responsible for any further development proposals, stating “the lead would come from Albury Wodonga Health. The funding request would come through that pathway in the same way it does with our other districts.”