More pain at John James

Current finger pointing is, that being a private hospital, JJ does not get enough back from Health Funds. It is a “campaign” to get more of such. Like the Georgian “invasion” – it could just backfire.

BIGHARRID said :

Calvary buy it at a cheaper rate when the hospital is in debt up to its eyeballs run it for a year or 2 and then sell it for an inflated price, like everyone else they are trying to make a quick buck. To hell with all the people looking to that hospital for operations and the maternity ward it’s all about the $$$$$$.

The only problem with your ‘theory’ is that Little Sisters of Mercy didn’t buy the hospital but only took over the running of it. John James still owns the buildings. Besides, who would pay top dollar for a business running at a loss.

But you are right that its about the $$$$$ – doctors, nurses, wardsmen, cooks, cleaners and the rest don’t work for nothing, not to mention equipment and supplies. When a public hospital blows its budget it has the government to fall back on, even if it is woefully inefficient. Private hospitals have no choice but to improve efficiency or cease to exist.

I’ve been a patient there, was very well looked after and the food was awesome. Would be very missed if it was to close. I believe it has dropped in quality a bit since Calvary took over it but I’m still hearing good stories about it from others.

The best hospital in Canberra, just had knee surgery there and loved it. I cant believe how friendly and helpful everyone was. Especially the ward staff and the food, the food is amazing for a hospital.

sepi said :

CMDwedge is right, peterh is wrong.

IVF is located in a separate building right next door to John James.

Previously operations relating to IVF were done at John James, while treatment not requiring an anaesthtist was done in the IVF building. AS soon as the catholics bought up John James they instantly abandoned all IVF procedures (on moral grounds), even those already booked in (and for which some women had done months of preparatory medication etc).

um, the separate building is owned by JJMH. the only reason it still exists is that there are leases in place.

and, as i mentioned, caps clinic is assisting with procedures.

Will it be missed?

Yes it will, I have lived in Canberra my whole life and I have had 2 operations there my wife has had 1 and our son was born there after a very difficult pregnancy. She spent most of the third trimester in the hospital, having spent all that time there getting to know the nursing staff and doctors I say it will be a sad day in Canberra’s history to get rid of another hospital.

Calvary buy it at a cheaper rate when the hospital is in debt up to its eyeballs run it for a year or 2 and then sell it for an inflated price, like everyone else they are trying to make a quick buck. To hell with all the people looking to that hospital for operations and the maternity ward it’s all about the $$$$$$.

Overheard said :

* Stop me know if that’s spelt wrong. It’s either a birthing procedure or a salad.

Agh! I mean ‘Stop me now…’

Bless me, Gungahlin Al, for I have sinned. It’s been 27 years since my last confession and here are my spelling errors.

peterh said :

and yes, it will be missed, as all 3 of my children were born there.

Same same. Both my kids (non-IVF) were born at John James and consequently some very special memories of the place. Not least due to the fact that my daughter’s birth was a marathon: contractions five minutes apart at 7am Thursday, daughter born by emergency Ceasar* at 4.35pm….. Monday!

* Stop me know if that’s spelt wrong. It’s either a birthing procedure or a salad.

Apart from a couple of isolated exceptions, the staff and facilities were just brilliant.

Same goes for a stay there seven months previous for a back operation. I don’t think the two admissions were linked, but maybe…

sepi said :

That said, John James would certainly be missed.

Our other two hospitals are usually at capacity, with bed block etc. Maternity wards are twice as busy as they used to be and John James caters for a lot of that market. I don’t think we can afford to lose more medical facilities in the ACT.

I was really disappointed in Nicola Roxon’s non-response to Katy G’s appeal for a super GP clinic in the ACT. She wants to concnetrate on the ones they’ve already started in other electorates.

Why on earth didn’t the ACT get one to start with – we have the least number of GPs in the coutry?? Shouldn’t we have got the first one?

what is a shame is that the tuggeranonmg square facility wasn’t expanded to cope with ED functionality. the changes that have happened there are quite sad – I remember when it was a vibrant practice, now a shell of its former glory.

That said, John James would certainly be missed.

Our other two hospitals are usually at capacity, with bed block etc. Maternity wards are twice as busy as they used to be and John James caters for a lot of that market. I don’t think we can afford to lose more medical facilities in the ACT.

I was really disappointed in Nicola Roxon’s non-response to Katy G’s appeal for a super GP clinic in the ACT. She wants to concnetrate on the ones they’ve already started in other electorates.

Why on earth didn’t the ACT get one to start with – we have the least number of GPs in the coutry?? Shouldn’t we have got the first one?