Calvary to take over hospice

What I’m suggesting is that we will need to be vigilant against the LCM influencing care along the same lines that they’ve taken in the past at their other facilities. In the past (and currently), the LCM have issued staff with orders regarding what they are allowed to say, or not say, and mandated against legal interventions and procedures and the like – all on religious grounds. I’m simply saying they have a proven track record for running interference, and once they assume ownership of the Hospice, they won’t have the ACT Government to answer to (as much as it’s a toothless tiger and all, it has been able to keep things reasonably under control to date, given the influence of its financial stake in facilities managed by the LCM).

At present, except for the visibility of crucifixes at CHH, there’s no religious influence out at the Hospice – it’s an excellent facility, staffed by caring, compassionate people (incidentally, I don’t think a change of ownership will change that fact). Nevertheless, it’s not uncommon to have patients refuse to even consider the Hospice because of the crucifixes alone – what might seem insignificant to you or I isn’t so for others. Often there’s a fear that there will be a subtle religious pressure once they get out there, rather than obvious religious posturing – both on themselves, and their family and friends who visit – and no amount of reassurance will convince them otherwise. Whilst we only have one Hospice in the ACT, it’s a shame that so many patients who would otherwise do wonderfully well at the Hospice miss out simply because they’re confronted with religion at a time they don’t want to deal with that.

gun street girl – so what are you suggesting? That the LCM will stop people from dying if it’s not in a Catholic setting? I don’t think there are many priests that would be comfortable administering last rites if it is completely against the wishes of the patient. What gets tricky is if the family is dead against it, but perhaps the patient wasn’t.

For what it’s worth I’ve been admitted into Woden, John James (prior to take over) and Calvary Hospital and the treatment of patients is VERY different.

At Calvary staff were friendlier and very caring – at Woden most of the nursing staff and registrars were either exhausted or didn’t seem to give a stuff. John James more than ten years ago wasn’t a a good place.

I never noticed anyone pushing religion or even mentioning it at Calvary. I would think that women who’ve had babies have their own doctors and obs to talk to about contraception and would have an idea about the “facts of life” having just given birth.

You have a choice which public hospital to go to – I know which one I feel safer in.

Given that the Hospice and Calvary Hospital both have been funded by the ACT Government, it seems silly to be buying them back – but that’s another argument altogether. You appear to misunderstand my stand here: I actually don’t care what god or creature people wish to believe in (or not). I’ve seen enough people die to respect whatever it is that they want to do at the end of their life. If somebody wants a priest, a pastor, a rabbi, a shaman, a voodoo chief or the Flying Spaghetti Monster by their bedside, I will make it happen. If they want their family there, 24/7 – that’s what they get. If they want to be alone, free of intrusion, that’s their wish, and that’s what we put into place. I don’t see that as a “suppression of someone else’s choice” – quite the opposite. Palliative care is fundamentally about choice and assuming control of the time you have. What I believe I – and others – DON’T have any right to do is to impose something that is unwelcome whilst they die. For many, religion (in any guise) is unwelcome. The facility, and the people running it (including those working there) are not the important ones in this equation.

I suggest that if the secular religion is so important to you that you would suppress someone else’s choice of non-secular faith, then lobby the government to set up one. or even better, take Clare Holland House (it’s the only ACT facility?) off those Catholic bigots to make sure you have your choice.

So which secular Hospice in the ACT would you suggest people go to, then?

Like I said – don’t go there. You would never find me in a catholic facility, but I completely respect their right to act according to their faith.

People should feel free to be guided by whatever beliefs they might have – but this doesn’t give them the right to foist them onto others, particularly when said others are in a vulnerable position. Death is a personal thing, and some prefer to keep God out of it. This is a simple thing to respect.

That’s right, God forbid that people bring their beliefs into their daily lives as they work, live and die. I mean, how bigoted could they be to presume they should be guided by their beliefs.

If the catholic thing scares you, don’t go there. (And I’m not even catholic.)

That’s right, gun fighter. Let’s not even let these religious get into the act, because as soon as they can, the fundamentalism will start.

We should separate state and religion with as much space as we can, not let the lines be blurred.