Calvary the only hospital we're allowed to have? Or not

dvaey said :

…but suggested I goto TCH instead of their department at Calvary.

…you’ve conveniently failed to supply a reason and highly I doubt it was due to their faith in the quality of the services provided internally. There are many, many services not offered at Calvary, due to its size. For example, in my own experience, they don’t have Pediatricians on staff (all VMOs); we’ve been told by Calvary’s own ED in the past to go to TCH for seriously ill children… Perhaps they mentioned the availability of specialist staff to you, also?

Besides vastly increasing the size, and therefore capacity, of Calvary hospital, there is no way they could offer those sorts of specialist services; but then, that’s not the role of a small hospital, is it? A second Public hospital would be a welcomed option, but not to duplicate services that are already offered – and offered well.

Whilst the triage system works quite well, waiting times at both hospitals (and I believe the Australian health system more widely) is a disgrace… but it certainly isn’t because of the capacity, diligence or professionalism of their various staff, which has been suggested by a couple of posters above. That’s why (IMHO) the ACT and Fed. Government would better serve the residents of the ACT by directing any increase in funding and capacity at those health facilities that exist already.

If Calvary is ever expanded and funded to provide a full range of services, then people could be excused for their self-righteous indignation at Calvary’s moral stance. Until then, it is pretty futile to expect Calvary to offer those services, when there are a whole other bunch they don’t do anyway because there isn’t the demand or funding. Anyhow, why insist they duplicate services that are adequately covered elsewhere in the ACT, when it would come at the cost of some that are not?

Whilst it is not ideal to have a Catholic organisation running a public hospital and applying their own moralising; it’s what we currently have in place. Those services they do provide there, they do well (or at least as well as other ACT health services)… It would be a TOTAL waste of time and money to build a second hospital to replace what Calvary do already, especially if only to offer, in addition, a couple of services they don’t offer, but are adequately delivered elsewhere… The whole range of Health Services should never be placed in a position of being competitive businesses… but instead, deliver what services are required by the community they serve. To do this, not every facility needs to operate a full range of services.

tl;dr
-I reckon Calvary probably doesn’t offer the services you would likely have required after your surgery, rather than not have faith in their own ED.
-it’s futile to get upset over what Calvary won’t offer, when it would come at the cost of what they do already (and is adequately covered elsewhere anyhow)
-Better use of taxpayer funds would be made increasing capacity of existing health services in the ACT.

Gerry-Built said :

[

The Frots said :

The times I have spent in the waiting room at Emergency while the reception staff ‘chat’ and ignore you is just infuriating.

you realise they can’t actually TREAT you, don’t you? Do you know what triage means? Do you honestly believe you’d have been better served at TCH?

I had an elective surgery procedure performed at Calvary last year. Upon discharge, I was quietly advised by the nursing staff that if I had any problems I should go to emergency, but suggested I goto TCH instead of their department at Calvary.

@gerry-built

if calvary want another cent from the public purse it should be contingent on them providing a full service hospital unblinkered by religious prejudice or practice, otherwise they should ask the almighty vatican for money and from what i saw when i was there last year they have plenty

LSWCHP said :

“Yes, we’ll provide the crap service that you deserve you wicked sinners! Come and sit for interminable hours with your whimpering sick child on the cheap plastic chairs in our appallingly uncomfortable emergency waiting room, because that’s all you deserve you heathen scum, and may God preserve you, because we probably won’t”.

Yes – because waiting at Canberra Hospital NEVER happens… right? And their chairs are so wonderfully comfortable…

The service at Calvary is AT LEAST at par with The Canberra Hospital. The last couple of weeks, while we’ve had occasion to visit several times daily, we’ve had very professional and compassionate care from the wonderful staff. If you are so appalled that a private organisation runs the Hospital, go to the Public one across town…

The chances of the ACT Government building a new, full service Hospital, up to par with the services provided at TCH or Calvary are negligible – lok how well they did building the major arterial GDE right in the first place… best to invest in getting the Hospitals they fund now up to standard.

The Frots said :

The times I have spent in the waiting room at Emergency while the reception staff ‘chat’ and ignore you is just infuriating.

you realise they can’t actually TREAT you, don’t you? Do you know what triage means? Do you honestly believe you’d have been better served at TCH?

The video of the GCC meeting is now up on our website for anyone who wants to view the hospital discussion: http://www.gcc.asn.au/Meetings-notices/Meeting-videos/april-2011-meeting.html

Gungahlin Al said :

john87_no1 said :

Fine, let them be the only hospital. But they must be able to provide a quality service to ALL of Nrth Canberra.

And ALL services? Including birth control procedures?

How can it be a public hospital if the operators impose their religious belief set to the range of services they will allow?

Yes ALL services. If they want to be the only hospital on that side of town then they should have the capacity to deal with all medical requirements for that region.

Otherwise they should change their name from “hospital” to – “place where we help you if you’re sick or require medical assistance….. but the provision of said help and medical assistance are dependent on our belief/morals surrounding an unprovable entity”……. maybe……

Gungahlin Al said :

john87_no1 said :

Fine, let them be the only hospital. But they must be able to provide a quality service to ALL of Nrth Canberra.

And ALL services? Including birth control procedures?

How can it be a public hospital if the operators impose their religious belief set to the range of services they will allow?

Agreed, well said

So they deny threatening to sue anyone, but presumably they still reckon they have a contractual right to be the only hospital on the northside.

That sounds like an even crazier proposition than the usual nauseatingly bogus creepy christian imaginary sky friend ideology, which they’ve been foisting on the people of Canberra as part of our health care system for far too long.

“Yes, we’ll provide the crap service that you deserve you wicked sinners! Come and sit for interminable hours with your whimpering sick child on the cheap plastic chairs in our appallingly uncomfortable emergency waiting room, because that’s all you deserve you heathen scum, and may God preserve you, because we probably won’t”.

The very large and wealthy company of mary are not interested in the health of the people of Canberra. They are interested in making lots of money for the foul vermin who populate the vatican, while simultaneously spreading mental illness under the guise of their “religion”.

How can any sane person have anything to do with an organisation whose logo consists of the figure of a bloke who was tortured to death? What’s up with that?

Sounds like a bit of the old hollow threats and grandstanding on both sides in an attempt by each to improve their positions over the negotiating table.

That said, why is it no suprise that the ACT Government is hiding behind cabinet-in-confidence, again, on costings, assumptions and calculations?

Well I reckon it is in a good location. Belc way, Tuggers Freeway etc so it is easily accessible from all on the north side.