17 hours Ago By Anthony Bunn
Amid ongoing debate about a new Border hospital, Benambra MP Bill Tilley has highlighted existing woes, labelling the waiting time for surgery as "horrendous". or signup to continue reading Pointing to recent data, the Wodonga-based politician noted category two patients were now delayed by an average of 431 days for surgery meant to be done in 90 days and in Towong and Indigo shire were appalling. The former has the longest average waiting time for life-threatening emergencies in Victoria, while the latter had 147 of 190 patients in potentially lethal situations not reached within 15 minutes in the final quarter of 2024.
"We can argue and play politics about the future of Albury Wodonga Health but I'm increasingly worried about the here and now," Mr Tilley said. "The category break-up of the waiting list is not included in the latest data dump. "But the total number increased by 300 people in three months, the average waiting for surgery is horrendous and yet we know there are people waiting far longer.
" Mr Tilley in parliament raised the prospect of a patient with the alias Mary-Anne who lived at Rutherglen and had been waiting 431 days since December 15, 2023, for category two surgery while also at risk of a delayed ambulance response. "Today I will ask another Mary-Anne to explain why the desperately needed modular surgical units and step-down beds at Albury Wodonga Health remain in limbo," he said referring to Victorian Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas. "The lack of beds is why ambulances are ramped and surgeries delayed.
"Just like Alice in Wonderland, you will never meet Mary-Anne, but the numbers are real. "For so many the numbers are real. "When is the government going to get real with us?" Mr Tilley later asked Ms Thomas "why a 20-bed step-down ward at Mercy Health Albury and a modular surgical ward at Albury Wodonga Health are not being funded".
"I have asked this in 2022 and last year, and I hope to avoid another all-spin, no-substance response," he concluded. As a constituency question, the minister has 28 days to respond. first lodged an inquiry about the matter with Ms Thomas' office on Wednesday, February 19, and as of close of business on Friday, February 21, there had been no response.
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