As a community-owned facility, Euroa Health relies heavily on the generosity of private donors and the general community to keep operating.
Euroa Health’s acute care hospital services faced ongoing financial pressures in recent years as a result of reduced patient admissions brought about by falling private health insurance participation rates and the changing healthcare needs of an ageing population. All other parts of Euroa Health, including the GraniteHill Aged Care facility, continue to perform well financially.
To ensure the ongoing delivery of hospital-based services on behalf of the Strathbogie community, Euroa Health and GV Health initiated a joint process to identify a more sustainable way of delivering these services for the long term.
After detailed analysis of potential options by a joint Steering Committee of Euroa Health and GV Health representatives, along with independent experts, the process brought forward a recommended model for acute hospital services currently provided by Euroa Health to be delivered by GV Health under a publicly-funded model. This will secure – and, over time, expand – the delivery of local acute care services for the long term.
The proposed model was endorsed by the Boards of Euroa Health and GV Health before being unanimously supported by Euroa Health members at a Special Meeting on 22 February 2024. It then passed the final step following approval from the Victorian Government on 15 March 2024.
The new model relates only to the delivery of Euroa Health’s acute and urgent care hospital services, and imaging services. All other parts of Euroa Health, including the GraniteHill Aged Care facility and Community services, are operating profitably and will remain under the community-owned entity of Euroa Health Incorporated.
The priority throughout this process has been to ensure we can find a more sustainable way of providing local acute hospital services for the long term. The proposed model has been recommended by the joint Steering Committee and endorsed by the Boards of both organisations, because it is seen as the best way of achieving this objective. Under the proposal, the intention would be to expand local access to acute hospital services over the coming years.
While the primary aim was to secure the ongoing provision of acute care services for Euroa and surrounding communities, we understand that Euroa Health’s history is important for many in the community, and this is being carefully considered as part of our implementation planning.
The priority was to make sure that communities across the Strathbogie region can continue to access high-quality, local hospital services. Under the new model, they will be delivered via a co-located site in Euroa without any plan to relocate operations.
The target date for the transfer of hospital-based services to GV Health is 1 July 2024. There is detailed planning underway with an implementation project team comprising GV Health and Euroa Health employees, supported by independent experts, working to meet this deadline.