More specialised and complex testing, such as anatomical pathology, will be referred to Austin Health’s Heidelberg campus in Melbourne, as GV Health has been doing for the past four years.
Austin Health already provides pathology to rural health services across the Hume and Loddon Mallee regions including Echuca, Swan Hill and Mildura.
GV Health chief executive Matt Sharp said present pathology staff would remain on site at the Graham St, Shepparton, campus in their new roles at Austin Health.
“This transition will enable people accessing pathology services at our Graham St, Shepparton, campus and throughout the region to benefit from services available through a larger pathology service provider,” he said.
“I wish to acknowledge and thank GV Health's present and former pathology staff for their excellent service over many years and contribution to our community.”
Austin Health Pathology medical director Associate Professor Kerryn Ireland-Jenkin said staff had been supporting GV Health’s pathology services for a number of years, with the transition planned over the past 18 months.
“We’re really grateful for the opportunity to provide pathology services to patients in the Goulburn Valley region,” she said.
“Pathology services will still continue to be delivered on site and the community will not notice a difference in the way samples are collected.”
“This transition has been planned collaboratively with Goulburn Valley Health over the last 18 months.”
Associate Prof Ireland-Jenkin said the move was expected to improve turnaround times for some testing services and patient impact would be minimal.
It comes after a statement released by NCN Health and Austin Health Pathology on February 14 that said the Shepparton anatomical pathology lab was closing due to issues getting an anatomical pathologist to work in the city.
The transition took place on February 23.
NCN Health is a rural health service that operates across Numurkah, Cobram and Nathalia.
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