Elective surgery waiting lists at Albury Wodonga Health are up to three times longer than major metropolitan and regional hospitals.
Figures released by the Victorian Agency for Health Information (VAHI) on Tuesday show that there are 2263 people on the Category 3 waiting list at Albury Wodonga Health.
That is 13 per cent more than a year earlier, with almost 600 patients already having waited more than a year for surgery.
There are 1291 people on the Category 2 surgery list, which is for operations needed in 90 days. Almost 900 have already waited more than three months.
The VAHI figures released this week by the Andrews Government also show Category 3 numbers are almost double The Alfred (1208) and more than triple The Austin Hospital (694).
The list exceeds other regional hospitals including Ballarat, Bendigo, Shepparton and Wangaratta.
Similarly, category 2 patients’ numbers are far in excess of other regional centres.
Shadow Minister for Health, Georgie Crozier, said the need for better health services on the border is clear.
“Border residents shouldn’t be forced to accept that their hospital is experiencing more demand than The Alfred and The Austin,” Ms Crozier said.
“Ask the dedicated staff, ask the people who have been forced to sleep on the floor of the emergency department. This is not good enough.”
Member for Benambra, Bill Tilley, said the local community deserved better.
“We need to understand where the holdup is – is it beds, is it staffing, is it operating theatres?
“This week we heard calls for a clearer idea of what the two states’ $450 million upgrade at Albury Base will provide – how many more beds, how many operating theatres?
“The literature swirling around at the moment suggests health authorities are just embarking on this journey, but they have clinical services plans that detail the shortfalls for years – just tell us what we are going to get and how this will help those waiting in pain get the vital treatment they need sooner.”
