7 February 2012

Half a hospital?

| johnboy
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Chief Minister Gallagher is celebrating a $200,000 donation from Woolworths for her new Women and Children’s Hospital.

“Today’s donation will be used to purchase items for our paediatrics ward, such as new play equipment for children and adolescent patients, at the new Women’s and Children’s Hospital which is currently under construction,” the Chief Minister said.

Woolworths and Paediatrics have had a very strong and successful relationship through fundraising efforts for the past 16 years during which time Woolworths has donated more than $1 million as well as thousands of dollars worth of gifts in kind.

“As part of the Fresh Food Kids Hospital Appeal run nationally in all Woolworths’ supermarkets, a weekly BBQ day at the Canberra Hospital was held again in 2011 and was thoroughly enjoyed by staff, patients and visitors.

“We are extremely appreciative of Woolworths continuing generosity and support, and indeed the support the community provides to their fundraising efforts at the Canberra Hospital,” the Chief Minister said.

The new Women’s and Children’s Hospital is part of the ACT Government’s $1 billion plus investment in our health care system – to ensure Canberrans have access to the most modern, state-of-the-art health facilities. It will see the collocation of services including Paediatrics at the Canberra Hospital (PatCH), maternity services, the neonatal intensive care unit, gynaecology and fetal medicine and specialised outpatient services.

But Jeremy Hanson is not impressed by progress:

Katy Gallagher has finally admitted that the Women’s and Children’s hospital is running $20 million over budget and will be completed a year late. However, she still intends to open half of the uncompleted hospital before the ACT election this year, a similar strategy to Labor’s ‘half a road’ GDE and 2008 election stunt prison opening, according to ACT Shadow Health Minister Jeremy Hanson.

“Katy Gallagher should take direct responsibility for much of this delay and cost blow out by demanding changes be made to the design of the hospital after the project had started and following her European tour,” Mr Hanson said.

“Katy Gallagher has already delivered the fiasco of the Canberra Hospital car park which blew out from $29m to $42m and was over a year late, and has broken her promise to build a Secure Mental Health facility which was due to be completed last year, but was cancelled after costs blew out from $11 million to about $30 million.

“These projects are just the tip of the ice berg and budget papers show she has a record of failing to deliver about $60 million of planed health infrastructure each year after year.

UPDATE: 07/02/12 11:13: Chief Minister Gallagher has been moved to describe the sheer magnificence of her new hospital:

Canberrans will have access to the best facilities for women’s and children’s healthcare once the new Women’s and Children’s Hospital opens mid year, the Chief Minister Katy Gallagher said today.

Responding to constant negativity about the project from the Canberra Liberals, the Chief Minister has confirmed that every increase to the project both in scope and budget has been approved by the Legislative Assembly.

“The cost of the hospital project has been clearly identified in our budget – a budget that has been debated by the Legislative Assembly in great detail and passed by the Assembly. This information is readily available to the public and able to be scrutinised in the Budget Estimates process,” the Chief Minister said.

“We have kept the community updated about the project design and scope every step of the way,” the Chief Minister said.

The Chief Minister said the project’s budget had largely increased due to additional new features being included in the design with each additional appropriation of funding having been approved by the Assembly.

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schmeah said :

john87_no1 said :

When is the Mens Hospital getting built….?

When men start having babies idiot.

At the risk of sounding stupid: not having been around too many people who have had kids, I never realised that women’s and children’s hospitals were maternity hospitals. Maybe I was confused by the existence of maternity wards in other hospitals.

I had assumed it was just a hangover from a long time ago that women and children at one point had their own hospitals.

Breast and prostate cancer are both over-subscribed as far as access to charity money and support services relative to other cancers. Prostate cancer is disproportionately funded by the public purse as part of a major “me-too-ism” reaction to all the breast marketing which goes on. And by disproportionately I mean in terms of it being a killer of men – its not one of the leading causes at all. It would be better if heart disease was somehow sexier.

Survival rates for breast and prostate cancer have improved significantly with all the public funding.
Unfortunately lung cancer survival rates remain very very low. Its not a sexy cancer – there is a strong public element of “you smoked you deserve to die” – which frankly sucks as no one deserves to die and the fastest growing group of new lung cancer diagnoses belong to young people who have never smoked.

If the other cancers received anywhere near the attention of breast and prostate it would be a very good thing.

Cancer isn’t just pink or blue.

dpm said :

On a slightly different note, does anyone else bang their head repeatedly on the table when they read stories like this?
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-29/canberra-hospital-mri-scanner/3858900

I don’t know whether I should laugh or cry!

Let’s hope they don’t stuff up this Maccas donation money too! Geeez!

I cry, dpm. But I also laughed at this phrase in the article you linked to : ‘particular types of complicated brain tumours.’ Implies there are those really simple brain tumours that can be sliced out with a plastic knife during someone’s coffee break after taking a photo with a smart phone.

On a slightly different note, does anyone else bang their head repeatedly on the table when they read stories like this?
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-29/canberra-hospital-mri-scanner/3858900

I don’t know whether I should laugh or cry!

Let’s hope they don’t stuff up this Maccas donation money too! Geeez!

I’m still waiting for Richard Branson to open a Virgin maternity ward.

NoImRight said :

What do dry people think?

They haven’t been gullible enough to purchase bottled water, nor bought into this idea we must all remain constantly “hydrated”.

Yeah another Greenie con. 🙂

This is in jest, isn’t it? I’m not sure any self-respecting “Greenie” would be recommending the purchase of bottled water.

IP (a self-respecting Green Party member)

Russ said :

Russ said :

NoImRight said :

Id be interested in quantifying exactly how much is “significantly less than half a cent”?

The Gruen Transfer pointed out that Coke actually pay a fixed amount to breast cancer research each year, not a per-bottle contribution for each of the pink-topped bottles of water sold, which is what moist people believe.

What do dry people think?

They haven’t been gullible enough to purchase bottled water, nor bought into this idea we must all remain constantly “hydrated”.

Yeah another Greenie con. 🙂

Russ said :

NoImRight said :

Id be interested in quantifying exactly how much is “significantly less than half a cent”?

The Gruen Transfer pointed out that Coke actually pay a fixed amount to breast cancer research each year, not a per-bottle contribution for each of the pink-topped bottles of water sold, which is what moist people believe.

What do dry people think?

They haven’t been gullible enough to purchase bottled water, nor bought into this idea we must all remain constantly “hydrated”.

Could they build a Womens only pool there and solve several probalems at once?

qbngeek said :

sarahsarah said :

thatsnotme said :

I sometimes get frustrated that while there’s Jane McGrath day at the cricket with everyone wearing pink, there’s no day where everyone dons brown scarves to raise money and awareness for prostate cancer.

Whist I do agree that there is a disparity between breast cancer funding and prostate cancer funding considering that they are about equal in terms of people affected there are some special events to promote awareness of it – Movember is one well known example that comes to mind although admittedly they cover other things as well such as men’s depression.

September is also International Prostate Cancer Awareness Month – it’s symbol is a blue ribbon not brown. It isn’t widely publicised but I believe it’s still somewhat in its infancy so you might help spread the word 🙂

The more you know! /sparkly stars

So the poor old prostate gets two months, one of which is relatively unknown, but the boobies get pink crap sold all over the joint for the whole year….seems fair. /sarcasm

BTW before you go and buy more pink rubbish to give money to breast cancer research. Have a look into how much money actually goes to the cause. For each one of those bottles of water, it is significantly less than half a cent. Just give money straight to the cause and stop wasting time.

Did I say anywhere in my post or say anything that gave the impression that I buy “pink rubbish” or water bottles just because they have pink ribbons on them? Just because I have a pair of breasts myself doesn’t mean I am programmed to ignore all other forms of cancer research and buy pink stuff for the sake of it. I don’t have four legs, fur or a tail but I still support the RSPCA where I can.

Thatsnotme said there was nothing that rasied awareness for prostate cancer and I gave them two examples that I know of (and support – my family has a history of Prostate Cancer). I was trying to raise awareness of two events, one of which that is somewhat unknown. Do you think Breast Cancer Awareness became big overnight? It takes time for people to spread the word and for things to build up.

So rather than just having a whinge and making (false) assumptions – what are you doing about it?

… What was this thread about again?

crackerpants3:17 pm 09 Feb 12

EvanJames said :

crackerpants said :

surely the equal-and-opposite result is that those patient cohorts are no longer accommodated within the existing facilities, and services for them are no longer required…a men’s/adult hospital by default, if you will.

men’s/women without children/adult hospital?

Something like that. Although I should think there would be a few women without children treated at the women’s and children’s as well, if it’s covering gynaecology.

crackerpants said :

surely the equal-and-opposite result is that those patient cohorts are no longer accommodated within the existing facilities, and services for them are no longer required…a men’s/adult hospital by default, if you will.

men’s/women without children/adult hospital?

NoImRight said :

Id be interested in quantifying exactly how much is “significantly less than half a cent”?

The Gruen Transfer pointed out that Coke actually pay a fixed amount to breast cancer research each year, not a per-bottle contribution for each of the pink-topped bottles of water sold, which is what moist people believe.

Id be interested in quantifying exactly how much is “significantly less than half a cent”?

sarahsarah said :

thatsnotme said :

I sometimes get frustrated that while there’s Jane McGrath day at the cricket with everyone wearing pink, there’s no day where everyone dons brown scarves to raise money and awareness for prostate cancer.

Whist I do agree that there is a disparity between breast cancer funding and prostate cancer funding considering that they are about equal in terms of people affected there are some special events to promote awareness of it – Movember is one well known example that comes to mind although admittedly they cover other things as well such as men’s depression.

September is also International Prostate Cancer Awareness Month – it’s symbol is a blue ribbon not brown. It isn’t widely publicised but I believe it’s still somewhat in its infancy so you might help spread the word 🙂

The more you know! /sparkly stars

So the poor old prostate gets two months, one of which is relatively unknown, but the boobies get pink crap sold all over the joint for the whole year….seems fair. /sarcasm

BTW before you go and buy more pink rubbish to give money to breast cancer research. Have a look into how much money actually goes to the cause. For each one of those bottles of water, it is significantly less than half a cent. Just give money straight to the cause and stop wasting time.

crackerpants12:27 pm 09 Feb 12

Apart from the stated benefits of a dedicated women’s and children’s hospital (such as co-location of recovering mothers and babies in SCN or NICU), surely the equal-and-opposite result is that those patient cohorts are no longer accommodated within the existing facilities, and services for them are no longer required…a men’s/adult hospital by default, if you will.

However you look at it, I can’t see it as anything but a positive.

poetix said :

NoImRight said :

What Hospitals do they have in the Netherlands?

Dutch ones.

Lets get those then

thatsnotme said :

I sometimes get frustrated that while there’s Jane McGrath day at the cricket with everyone wearing pink, there’s no day where everyone dons brown scarves to raise money and awareness for prostate cancer.

Whist I do agree that there is a disparity between breast cancer funding and prostate cancer funding considering that they are about equal in terms of people affected there are some special events to promote awareness of it – Movember is one well known example that comes to mind although admittedly they cover other things as well such as men’s depression.

September is also International Prostate Cancer Awareness Month – it’s symbol is a blue ribbon not brown. It isn’t widely publicised but I believe it’s still somewhat in its infancy so you might help spread the word 🙂

The more you know! /sparkly stars

poetix said :

I can’t think of a similar need for a Men’s Hospital, simply because there is not one particular area of life that impacts as dramatically as childbirth does upon women. ‘Correct me if I’m wrong.’

Society says this, and then wonders why mens health issues are underrated. I guess its the same mentality that promotes merchandise being pink for breast cancer, and matches it about 20:1 with merchandise being blue for prostate cancer.

schmeah said :

If however, you are going through a pregnancy with complications or your child is born with a medical condition or acquires an acute medical condition post-birth you will be seen by the specialised staff of a Womens hospital.

I wonder if this will work the same as other childrens hospitals around the country. I was born with a genetic condition, which I received treatment for at Westmead until the age of 18, at which stage I was pretty much on my own (in hospital terms its called ‘Transition’), as 100% of the government funding for genetic research goes into childrens hospitals with 0% available for adult services.

I-filed said :

Woolworths money is tainted money. Woolworths money is poker machine money. Katie Gallagher, can you demonstrate that that money wasn’t ripped out of the pockets of problem gamblers?

well a percentage of woolworths money comes from gaming … and then how do you think Katies party is funded in the ACT?

Woolworths money is tainted money. Woolworths money is poker machine money. Katie Gallagher, can you demonstrate that that money wasn’t ripped out of the pockets of problem gamblers?

I think it is worth remembering that babies and children (a key client group) tend to be around 50% male.

schmeah said :

Grow a pair and deal with it like the rest of us .. you don’t need to be a woman or a mother to know that being pregnant or a newborn carries the risk of complications that require specialised attention. So, for all our sakes, stop being a sanctimonious wanker – which IMO is usually best treated with a dose of harden the f* up.

So does being one of the many men who develop prostate cancer…

NoImRight said :

What Hospitals do they have in the Netherlands?

Dutch ones.

What Hospitals do they have in the Netherlands?

schmeah said :

EvanJames said :

john87_no1 said :

When is the Mens Hospital getting built….?

Indeed. And the “women’s” refers mostly to Women Who Reproduce. Women with broken legs or whatever will still need to go to the “normal” hospital.

And women who aren’t Mothers probably won’t find much of use to them there either. I had occasion to hang around the Melbourne Women and Children’s hospital doing some official stuff a few months back, and it all seemed to be about breeding. It’s a shame they can’t be a bit more precise with their wording. Maternity and Paediatrics Hospital?

You’re correct of course, most women who need medical attention are looked after perfectly well by the services of the medical or surgical wards of our local hospitals.

If however, you are going through a pregnancy with complications or your child is born with a medical condition or acquires an acute medical condition post-birth you will be seen by the specialised staff of a Womens hospital.

Grow a pair and deal with it like the rest of us .. you don’t need to be a woman or a mother to know that being pregnant or a newborn carries the risk of complications that require specialised attention. So, for all our sakes, stop being a sanctimonious wanker – which IMO is usually best treated with a dose of harden the f* up.

I agree with everything you have said. But out of interest are you saying that because im a man i shouldn’t hope for better health services for men? Or should I wait to “grow a set” on the fringe of society?

http://the-riotact.com/what-health-services-do-canberra-women-want/46707

The above is what I was getting at. I love the fact that there is a new Women’s and Children’s Hospital built and hope it is fully staffed and funded with all the equipment needed to provide good health care.

What im also hoping for is that the money be spent on providing quality health services to everyone.

schmeah said :

john87_no1 said :

When is the Mens Hospital getting built….?

When men start having babies idiot.

😀

+1

qbngeek said :

While I agree that asking when the Men’s Hospital will be built is moronic, I feel the need to point out that when I needed hospital attention for my testes I am pretty sure that was a specific treatment need that women/girls don’t have…just saying.

I understand this – and I’m sure that there will be women specific issues that continue to be treated in the main hospital as well. The main difference is that unlike men, many women plan to need a stay in hospital at some stage in their lives – possibly multiple times!

schmeah said :

Grow a pair and deal with it like the rest of us .. you don’t need to be a woman or a mother to know that being pregnant or a newborn carries the risk of complications that require specialised attention. So, for all our sakes, stop being a sanctimonious wanker – which IMO is usually best treated with a dose of harden the f* up.

This is actually the first time I’ve seen any real justification of a mens hospital that makes sense! The best thing is that all that would be necessary is a serving window with some cups, small bags of concrete, and some water to mix it with before taking the recommended dose.

Oh, and FWIW, I am a man. I sometimes get frustrated that while there’s Jane McGrath day at the cricket with everyone wearing pink, there’s no day where everyone dons brown scarves to raise money and awareness for prostate cancer. On the other hand, after my first child was born, I watched my wife lose two litres of blood. I admit, sometimes I think ‘what about us guys’ – but after being through the process that women undertake to – lets face it – continue the survival of the human species, I’m not unhappy that they get specialised services to help them out.

poetix said :

Most women do have children.

And many women never have children. Lumping all women together as mothers is just wrong. If the hospital is for mothers and their children, I can’t see what is wrong with labelling it as such. Calling it “womens” when it is only for some women and not others seems rather odd.

It’s like the good old “women’s issues” that the pollies trumpet, it’s always mothers’ issues, not issues pertaining to anyone who is female. I know a number of female people who get quite narky about this stuff. They think that they’re being made invisible and I tend to agree with them.

EvanJames said :

john87_no1 said :

When is the Mens Hospital getting built….?

Indeed. And the “women’s” refers mostly to Women Who Reproduce. Women with broken legs or whatever will still need to go to the “normal” hospital.

And women who aren’t Mothers probably won’t find much of use to them there either. I had occasion to hang around the Melbourne Women and Children’s hospital doing some official stuff a few months back, and it all seemed to be about breeding. It’s a shame they can’t be a bit more precise with their wording. Maternity and Paediatrics Hospital?

You’re correct of course, most women who need medical attention are looked after perfectly well by the services of the medical or surgical wards of our local hospitals.

If however, you are going through a pregnancy with complications or your child is born with a medical condition or acquires an acute medical condition post-birth you will be seen by the specialised staff of a Womens hospital.

Grow a pair and deal with it like the rest of us .. you don’t need to be a woman or a mother to know that being pregnant or a newborn carries the risk of complications that require specialised attention. So, for all our sakes, stop being a sanctimonious wanker – which IMO is usually best treated with a dose of harden the f* up.

BTW men do have babies – haven’t you seen Junior jeeeeez.

EvanJames said :

john87_no1 said :

When is the Mens Hospital getting built….?

Indeed. And the “women’s” refers mostly to Women Who Reproduce. Women with broken legs or whatever will still need to go to the “normal” hospital.

And women who aren’t Mothers probably won’t find much of use to them there either. I had occasion to hang around the Melbourne Women and Children’s hospital doing some official stuff a few months back, and it all seemed to be about breeding. It’s a shame they can’t be a bit more precise with their wording. Maternity and Paediatrics Hospital?

Most women do have children. And ‘breeding’ ain’t easy, as the country singers might put it, hence the need for a specialist hospital. You have to admit that Maternity and Paediatrics is a less inviting title, putting the medical definition before the type of patients to be assisted there. People are bright enough to work out The Women’s and Children’s Hospital has to do with pregnancy, childbirth and children. Hospital for Breeders is a little problematic, as is Hospital for Women Without Broken Legs But That’s the Half We Aim to Treat.

I can’t think of a similar need for a Men’s Hospital, simply because there is not one particular area of life that impacts as dramatically as childbirth does upon women. ‘Correct me if I’m wrong.’

thatsnotme said :

john87_no1 said :

When is the Mens Hospital getting built….?

Sorry mate, no hospital is going to be able to help you to pull up your big boy pants, and understand that women and children sometimes have very specific needs when it comes to hospital treatment. Go ahead and make a submission if you think you need hospital treatment to fix your wounded pride.

While I agree that asking when the Men’s Hospital will be built is moronic, I feel the need to point out that when I needed hospital attention for my testes I am pretty sure that was a specific treatment need that women/girls don’t have…just saying.

thatsnotme said :

john87_no1 said :

When is the Mens Hospital getting built….?

Sorry mate, no hospital is going to be able to help you to pull up your big boy pants, and understand that women and children sometimes have very specific needs when it comes to hospital treatment. Go ahead and make a submission if you think you need hospital treatment to fix your wounded pride.

I lol’ed so hard, I snorted water from my nose. Congratulations 🙂

john87_no1 said :

When is the Mens Hospital getting built….?

Sorry mate, no hospital is going to be able to help you to pull up your big boy pants, and understand that women and children sometimes have very specific needs when it comes to hospital treatment. Go ahead and make a submission if you think you need hospital treatment to fix your wounded pride.

john87_no1 said :

When is the Mens Hospital getting built….?

Indeed. And the “women’s” refers mostly to Women Who Reproduce. Women with broken legs or whatever will still need to go to the “normal” hospital.

And women who aren’t Mothers probably won’t find much of use to them there either. I had occasion to hang around the Melbourne Women and Children’s hospital doing some official stuff a few months back, and it all seemed to be about breeding. It’s a shame they can’t be a bit more precise with their wording. Maternity and Paediatrics Hospital?

john87_no1 said :

When is the Mens Hospital getting built….?

When men start having babies idiot.

When is the Mens Hospital getting built….?

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