Year in review: Shepparton’s health journey in 2024

On March 15, it was announced that Euroa Health and GV Health were partnering together, backed by the Victorian Government with a $5.5 million investment to deliver more care and upgrade Euroa Health.

State Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes was there to make the announcement, and said it was a fantastic outcome for the Euroa community.

“In collaboration with GV Health, acute services in Euroa will become public services and be here for now and into the future and as a public service,” she said.

Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said the Euroa community would greatly benefit.

“Thousands of people in the Strathbogie region will benefit from this announcement, which will provide improved access to free acute care, help ease pressure on public health services in nearby towns and support local jobs,” she said.

Report shows GV Health squeezed for cash

Annual reports for Victorian hospitals were released in state parliament in November, and have detailed the financial problems hospitals are facing.

GV Health was among the top 10 hospitals with the biggest deficits in the state for the 2023-24 financial year, and had the worst reported cash reserves.

The hospital had a loss of $38.38 million for 2023-24, and had negative-seven days of cash available to it, the worst reported reserves in the state.

Hospitals across the state have reported a combined deficit of over $1 billion, with the highest deficit recorded at Monash Health, with a loss of $328.97 million.

GV Health chief executive Matt Sharp said the hospital had reported operating surpluses in the previous three financial years, before the most recent one.

“However, very late in the 2023-24 financial year, and due to circumstances beyond our control, GV Health was required to return a significant amount of funding to central reserves. This did not impact services for our community but did impact our financial results,” he said.

Mr Sharp said the hospital continued to work with the Department of Health to ensure the health service had “enough operating funding and cash to meet its financial obligations throughout the year”.

Transport changes to regional dialysis patients

GV Health patients were told that Ambulance Victoria had changed its criteria for the use of non-emergency patient transport services.

In September, regional dialysis patients were informed that some people using this service, which involves patients driven to and from their medical appointments by taxis paid for by Ambulance Victoria, would no longer have access and would need to find alternative transport.

According to Ambulance Victoria, the non-emergency transport is intended for patients who require clinical monitoring or supervision during transport, but don’t require an emergency ambulance.

A GV Health spokesperson said the organisation was working with each patient to assist them with options if they did not meet the Ambulance Victoria criteria.

Machine slowing hair loss for cancer patients unveiled at GV Health

A new $50,000 machine at GV Health is helping those undergoing chemotherapy help to slow down hair loss.

The new machine was purchased for the oncology unit thanks to the generous support of community members at the 2023 GV Health Foundation Ladies Who Lunch event.

While chemotherapy attacks fast-growing cancer cells, it also attacks other fast-growing cells in the body, including cells in hair roots, leading to hair loss.

The scalp cooling machine has an ice cap that patients can put on their heads to freeze hair follicles and slow down hair loss, which patients can use before, during and after their treatment.

GV Health oncology nurse unit manager Linley Smith said GV Health was one of the only oncology units in the state to have access to this technology, especially in a regional area.

“Some women have breast cancer and have had a mastectomy (breast removal surgery), so to lose their hair as well, that’s like all of their femininity,” she said.

“It can be a great comfort for people going through chemo.”

Women’s health clinic to open at GV Health

Victorian Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas visited GV Health in October to announce the opening of a new specialised women’s health clinic.

GV Health was among five hospitals set to receive this upgrade to women’s health, which will make it easier for all Victorian women to access essential healthcare services.

“Our government has invested more than $153 million to absolutely transform the way in which women’s health care is being delivered in our state,” Ms Thomas said.

“The women’s health clinics are there to treat a range of conditions that, I have to say, for far too long, have been under-diagnosed in our state.

“For many women from all backgrounds, our healthcare needs have often been shrouded in stigma and shame, and so there’s work to be done to support women access the health care they need.”

Alongside GV Health, it was also announced Central Highlands Rural Health, Eastern Health, Western Health Sunshine and Monash Health would be included as the next locations under a four-year plan to open 20 specialised women’s health clinics.

These clinics will include access to specialists including gynaecologists as well as specialist nursing and allied health support, to make it easier for all women to access care for conditions such as endometriosis, pelvic pain, polycystic ovary syndrome, incontinence, perimenopause and menopause.

More worker housing coming to Shepparton

The Victorian Government has invested in housing developments for regional workers.

Premier Jacinta Allan and Minister for Regional Development Gayle Tierney visited GV Health to make the announcement to help attract workers in key industries such as healthcare, agriculture and tourism to the regions.

A complex of 15 self-contained single and multi-bedroom apartments will house doctors and other health staff at the Graham St campus in Shepparton.

Construction will start in early 2025 and is expected to be completed in mid-2026, with a total of $10,194,000 invested into the project.

The first round of funding was announced by Ms Allan, with roughly $75 million being invested with private funding in this round bringing the total to nearly $250 million.

“Being able to attract skilled workers you need can be a challenge. That challenge can be made even harder when you have a shortage of accessible and affordable homes,” Ms Allan said.

Ms Allan said this round of grants would contribute over 1000 new bedrooms across Victoria for workers, providing relief for the local rental markets.

GV Health currently has about 150 workers being accommodated in Shepparton and Mooroopna each night in rental housing and serviced apartments, with the hospital estimating that 10 to 15 properties will be returned to the local rental market.

Alongside GV Health, Seeka Australia will build a new worker village for 60 workers at its site in Mundoona, and Kalafatis Group will build 12 new townhouses in Shepparton.

Stanhope’s search for a GP is over

A 14-month medical drought in Stanhope has finally ended, with the groundbreaking launch of Victoria’s first telehealth-focused medical clinic.

The Stanhope Medical Centre had been empty since 2023, leaving residents to travel the 20km to Kyabram for check-ups and appointments.

In July 2024, it was announced that Kyabram District Health Service would be partnering with Telecare to create a virtual health clinic in Stanhope.

Two Telecare GPs, Dr Ken-Tze Koh and Dr Raymond Wen, will serve the Stanhope community through face-to-face and virtual telehealth appointments.

Starting in August, the new doctors got the chance to meet the community, with Dr Koh saying the new hybrid service would greatly benefit Stanhope.

“You can’t do everything (over online consultation), you still have to examine, and you still have to see them, so that’s why we have those in-person appointments still,” he said.

“Our advantage is that we can link you in with specialists ... hopefully we can get you priority access to some of these specialists within a week or two.”

GV Health pioneering steam therapy

In a first for regional Victoria, GV Health has introduced new groundbreaking technology to diagnose and treat benign prostate enlargements.

The treatment — known as Water Vapour Therapy (Rezum) — is a steam treatment that involves steam injected directly into the tissue that’s causing problems, destroying the extra tissue.

Rezum is a minimally invasive surgery, as it requires no cutting or permanent implants.

GV Health is the second hospital to offer the treatment in Victoria, after St Vincent’s Hospital in Melbourne.

“Patients can still choose to have the traditional operation because that has its advantages, but until now, Rezum has only been available in Melbourne,” urologist Dr Daniel Lenaghan said.

“The procedure itself (Rezum) only takes around 10 minutes, which is rapid and can be done as a daily procedure, so patients get home on the same day.”

GV Health introduces water births

Madi Whyte and Marrick Tucker welcomed their daughter Elodie Tucker in GV Health’s new water birth facilities.

Opened this year, the calming space includes a warm water immersion bathtub, which utilises the warm water to serve as a natural alternative to medicalised pain relief.

It also has many benefits, including the reduced need for an epidural, increased satisfaction and emotional wellbeing, and reduction in vaginal tearing and episiotomy rates.

“Once I emerged in the water, all the pressure and everything came off my belly, so it made me much calmer, and it was the only reason why I had zero pain the whole time,” Madi said.

The introduction of water births complements the recent upgrades to the maternity services at GV Health, including new facilities, accommodation for partners to stay during the postnatal period and the hospital’s continued work towards continuity of care.

“It was amazing that I could be in the water and share in that experience with Madi, and I was able to catch Elodie when she arrived, which was great,” Marrick said.

Water births are available to healthy women with an uncomplicated, low-risk single pregnancy at term.

Those interested should speak to their care provider.

Leaping for joy

This year was a leap year, and February 29 saw five babies born at GV Health.

Typically, GV Health welcomes an average of three newborns per day, so this leap year brought abundant joy to the maternity ward.

Among the fortunate families were Yulan Gunawan and Lachlan Taylor, who welcomed their daughter Aluna’s early arrival — she was due to be born on March 1.

“We are so excited,” Yulan said.

“I didn’t know that Aluna was one of five born February 29, so when I heard that, I thought it was incredible.”

The family plans to celebrate Aluna’s birthday on February 28 on non leap years.