**URGENT** Royal Childrens Hospital Brisbane

**Luna Lovegood** · 07-03-2009 09:06

***MODS: Sorry if this isnt ok...***

Tomorrow there is a rally to save the Royal Children's Hospital.

As some of you may be aware the Bligh Governments plan is to close down the Royal Children's Hospital, and amalgamating it with the Mater Childrens to combine resources.

As lovely as that sounds, it leaves the northside of Brisbane with no children's hospital.

To see all the facts please follow this link..

http://www.smarthospitals.com.au/The-Facts.html

The rally started at 9-11am tomorrow (8th March) and will be held at the Medical School Parklands (Next to the RCH on Herston Road)

If there are any hubbers interested in attending please feel free to PM me so we can rally together...

More information at:

www.smarthospitals.com.au

TIA

**Nowhere** · 07-03-2009 09:41

we only have one childrens hospital for the whole of WA, and it works well, It means all the Specialist drs are in one hospital rather then being moved between the two, From other mums that I know that live at royal at the moment I was under the impresion that the Royal childrens was going to be a childrens cancer hospital and all other specialties at Mater is that still whats hapening

Effectively how much longer wil it make your drive to Mater surely in a true emergany the ambos if they cant stablise in the ambulance they wil go to the local hospital first to stablise the transfer to mater once stable anyway

**Luna Lovegood** · 07-03-2009 19:37

The RCH is a combined facility with multiple research facilities, the Royal Brisbane and Womens Hospital. This facility has world class medical equipment and pioneers Australian and often worldwide medical research, trials, and allied health equipment. Without the co-support of the entire Herston facility, it will not be possible for it to have "world class" facilities at the Mater, and will seperate the already established world class facilty which includes:

Oncology research and, oncology treatment at the dedicated Joyce Tweedle Building.
Medical Imaging- particularly the Dep. Nuclear Medicine.
Neonatal Facilities
Pathology/Genetics
Burn unit

One hospital eliminates a backup plan in the event of large trauma emergencies (fire, chemical spills or epidemics). Both Melbourne and Sydney have two childrens hospital.

Restriction of gentic/family planning are inevitable at the Marter site, as well as restrictions to some research. The Mater IS a religious hospital and therefore this will have social and cultural impact as well.

These are just some of the reasons.

And lastly, to answer PP original question, how much longer would it take for me to get there in an emergency? I live 5km from the CBD, the Mater is 2km South of the CBD, but due to the Brisbane road infrastructure it would take me 20-30minutes and potentially over an hour in peak hour- we don't have many roads going in, out, through and around the CBD (only way to the south side from where I live) and due to the restructure and intended roadworkds for up until 2012, it makes a lot more hold ups.

I could go on for hours- but I work for the RBWH, and livge on the northside, so I am very passionate...sorry for going on.

**mini_me** · 07-03-2009 19:38

Originally Posted by Mikenzees mum

we only have one childrens hospital for the whole of WA, and it works well, It means all the Specialist drs are in one hospital rather then being moved between the two, From other mums that I know that live at royal at the moment I was under the impresion that the Royal childrens was going to be a childrens cancer hospital and all other specialties at Mater is that still whats hapening

Effectively how much longer wil it make your drive to Mater surely in a true emergany the ambos if they cant stablise in the ambulance they wil go to the local hospital first to stablise the transfer to mater once stable anyway

Plus its only like few minutes away. Dont get me wrong i love the royal bris but looking at it recently with all of the construction eekkk what an eye sore, they were also complaining about not enough beds there + facilities.

Have you read all of the info on QLD gov website QLD-HEALTH_RE: Childrens Hospital

It explains plans for a brand new childrens hospital are underway and should be completed in 2014

Tell ya what id be super happy to have a childrens hospital that wasnt 3 (+ depending on traffic) hours away in another state

**Luna Lovegood** · 07-03-2009 19:51

Originally Posted by mini_me

Plus its only like few minutes away. Dont get me wrong i love the royal bris but looking at it recently with all of the construction eekkk what an eye sore, they were also complaining about not enough beds there + facilities.

Have you read all of the info on QLD gov website QLD-HEALTH_RE: Childrens Hospital

It explains plans for a brand new childrens hospital are underway and should be completed in 2014

Tell ya what id be super happy to have a childrens hospital that wasnt 3 (+ depending on traffic) hours away in another state

Firstly- so the hospital doesnt look great- but it treats patients exceptionally.

Secondly- The Mater site will have less beds and space for facility than what the RCH and the mater childrens currently provide.

Thirdly- I am well aware of all the facts including that $2b has already been spent on this and the master plans are yet complete (revealed in a speach by the shddow Minister for Health Mark McArdle). This money would be more effective in imnproving both hospitals. When you consider population inflation in 20 years time there will be a need for 2, or more childrens hospitals, and then what kind of money will be spent on achieving this...

Besides since when has the Mater been a "few minutes" from the Royal? While the distance is short, the infrastucture just doesn't allow that speedy travel by any means (ambo's included)...

**missie_mack** · 07-03-2009 19:57

I wish I could help but I now live interstate. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for this hospital and I am eternally grateful for it and the knowledge it gave my parents to help me, which I now use to help my own children. It is always a shame when they reduce the number of hospitals IMO

I hope these plans don't go ahead but unfortunately I also realise how pig headed they are

**Luna Lovegood** · 07-03-2009 20:01

Originally Posted by missie_mack

I wish I could help but I now live interstate. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for this hospital and I am eternally grateful for it and the knowledge it gave my parents to help me, which I now use to help my own children. It is always a shame when they reduce the number of hospitals IMO

I hope these plans don't go ahead but unfortunately I also realise how pig headed they are

We can only hope that they realise this risk is too great before it progresses. How can they reduce hospital services, when the population is increasing...how very strange...

**mum_I'm_hungry** · 07-03-2009 20:14

Isn't there going to be a children's emergency established at Prince Charles? I don't know what to think. My husband worked at the Mater kids last year and is a specialist at the Royal now. He thinks combining them is a good idea in that it creates one single super centre for specialised treatment. I believe there a number of studies that show it's better all-round for patients, but logistically, I'm not sure

**amandaw** · 07-03-2009 20:47

I've heard a flip side to that Alli - from a friend who's a nurse at the RBH....she said that the idea of a supercentre is fantastic, but the $'s they are talking to make it effective is about 8 times what the government has allocated to spend - something that they're never going to come to the party with! Her belief is that it is better to run the 2 seperate centres yet spend the money that is allocated in order to upgrade and add to existing facilities

I'd personally hate the idea of that extra 10 km's (realistically 15 mins min) on the road coming from my way!

**Luna Lovegood** · 07-03-2009 20:52

[quote=amandaw;3555506]
she said that the idea of a supercentre is fantastic, but the $'s they are talking to make it effective is about 8 times what the government has allocated to spend - something that they're never going to come to the party with! Her belief is that it is better to run the 2 seperate centres yet spend the money that is allocated in order to upgrade and add to existing facilities
[quote]

I agree with this, over the long term it's better when considering population growth, so on.