SOUTH West Pathology Services will close its Albury laboratory on Monday resulting in the loss of 14 jobs.

The Lavington collection centre will also close.

The publicly funded service which began 64 years ago has faced an uncertain future since the merger of the Albury and Wodonga hospitals in 2010.

South West serviced Albury Base Hospital until Albury Wodonga Health called for tenders for pathology services at both hospitals.

Private operator Dorevitch won the tender in October 2010.

That saw South West lose up to 70per cent of its business, said Albury-based service unit manager Eugene Butkowski, who has worked at the Smollett Street laboratory for nearly 40 years.

As you would expect it is not a pleasant time to be shutting a facility which has been a major part of a lot of peoples lives over the years, Mr Butkowski said.

The laboratory employed more than 30 staff in 2010 and last year those remaining at South West were offered redundancies or relocation opportunities.

All staff have accepted the latest redundancy packages with limited positions at present on offer at Dorevitch or the other local provider, Border Pathology.

Dorevitch recently advertised for a scientist, but has yet to fill the position.

See the original post here:
Pathology jobs gone as service closes