Albury Wodonga Health Media Guidelines

The AWH Communications Department manages all media enquiries and requests relating to all AWH locations.

We are the first point of contact for any media enquiries, including patient condition updates, interview requests with AWH staff acting as medical experts, escorting film crews and photographers and permission to film on hospital grounds.

Media opportunities are subject to approval and will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Media enquiries:

Weekdays - 8:30am-5:00pm - journalists can email awh.communications@awh.org.au or call 02 6048 1160 

Requests to film

  • All interviews, photography and filming on AWH premises must be approved prior to the media entering an AWH healthcare facility.
  • A Communications staff member will escort media during approved visits, including for interviews, filming, and photography.
  • All AWH staff directly approached by media outlets will, in the first instance, redirect enquiries to the Communications team.

Patient conditions

  • When enquiring about a patient condition update, we are guided by the Health Services Act 1988. This legislation, limits the amount of information that can be released without written consent from the patient, or where appropriate their next of kin.
  • When categorising the condition, we use the following descriptions: stable, serious and critical. Due to patient privacy, we cannot provide any patient details, such as name, age or injuries.

Patient interview requests

Interview requests to individuals on AWH property must be done through the Communications Team. Our team will not approach a patient on the day of admission. It is important to us as a health service to ensure our patients and their families feel safe and supported when in hospital. 

awh.communications@awh.org.au or call 02 6048 1160 

Live or Simulated Live crosses

Media are permitted to film AWH facilities from public walkways and footpaths, however, we ask to be notified via the AWH Communications Department prior to arrival so that security on location can be advised.

Additional media resources

Reporting on Mental Health

Reporting on People with a Disability

Reporting on Violence against Women and Children

The first sod has been turned in Albury's new Emergency Department, kick-starting a $36m upgrade that will transform how emergency care is delivered on the Border.

Victorian Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas and NSW Minister for Regional Health Bronnie Taylor joined member for Albury Justin Clancy in turning the first sod at the Albury Hospital today. Both Ministers have also committed to progressing a new Inter-Governmental agreement between the two states which outlines how the health service is funded. 

In welcoming the Ministers, Albury Wodonga Health Board Chair Matt Burke OAM said the ED project would have significant benefits for patients and the dedicated staff who treat them.

"The people of Albury Wodonga have long known that we have some of Australia's best doctors, and some of Australia's best nurses – today we begin work to give them some of Australia's best facilities," he said. "Our vision has always been to deliver the best of health to our community, and with our new Emergency Department, we are going to be able to do exactly that.

"Significantly today, we saw a wonderful example of governments coming together to deliver vital infrastructure to the people of our region. It's this united approach by our respective state governments that will deliver this project, and it will be that unity we will need again as we look to tackle the challenges of the future."

Mr Burke and Albury Wodonga Health CEO Bill Appleby also took both Ministers on a tour of the Albury Hospital.

“We had some very productive discussions with the Ministers this morning about our health service, the challenges we face and the opportunities for the future,” Mr Burke said. “Those discussions were very constructive and we’re looking forward to collaborating with both governments moving forward. As they both said, health is beyond politics and we’re all committed to delivering the best possible healthcare services to people of our region.”

Mr Bill Appleby said the ED upgrade was a much-needed investment in the Border's emergency care capabilities.

"Every single nurse, every single doctor, every staff member working in healthcare, wants to make a difference in the lives of their patients, it's what we sign up for," he said. "With fit for purpose facilities, we're much better placed to provide the best possible care to the people in our region.

"We're the biggest health service between Melbourne and Sydney and when people arrive in our Emergency Department their situation can be quite critical. It's important that we have the capacity and capability through infrastructure, equipment, staffing and technology to respond to those in need of urgent care.

“Our discussions with the Ministers were very constructive and both sides are united in their desire to work closely together to deliver the best possible healthcare on the border. We’re looking forward to working with the respective Governments in progressing the new inter-governmental agreement and how that will look for our health service moving forward."

The ED project is being jointly funded by the Victorian State Government ($6m) and the NSW State Government ($30m) Stage One of the project is due for completion in late 2023. Stage Two is due for completion in mid-2024.

At A Glance: Features of the upgraded Emergency Department
More facilities, better care

Now   When Completed
30 Points of Care 58
900m2 Size 2900m2
0 Dedicated Paediatric Bays 4 (with 2 additional flex)
+ dedicated waiting room
+ dedicated interview room
+ treatment room
5 Fast Track Bays 8
+ Dedicated waiting room
+ Dedicated interview room
12 Acute Bays

16

+2 isolation rooms

2 Resuscitation Bays 4
4 Short Stay Bays 16

 

Theme picker