Hospital takeover raises an unlimited crimson flag

“This can be a authorities determined to be seen to do one thing which may flip the tide of their very own failures in managing the healthcare system successfully,” writes political columnist MICHAEL MOORE.

THE resolution for the ACT authorities to be the only public hospital supplier for Canberrans has hardly been obtained with heat from Calvary workers and the neighborhood. 

The necessity for a unilateral resolution after Calvary has supplied so a few years of public hospital companies raises an unlimited crimson flag. 

“Outrageous thuggery” is the outline utilized by the Performing Chief of the Opposition, Jeremy Hanson. The Liberals have railed in opposition to “secrecy and lack of session”, “draconian” measures and “secrecy”. 

For a authorities that prides itself on openness and accountability, the choice is pre-emptive. Earlier negotiations with Calvary used the excuse of the necessity for Vatican approval – and this might take a few years.

Most Canberrans would welcome a extra environment friendly well being system. Since Labor got here to authorities the score of the Canberra Hospital by nationwide requirements has deteriorated and deteriorated. It has moved from one of many strongest, best and environment friendly public well being techniques in Australia to amongst the weakest.

Makes an attempt to enhance tradition and acquire efficiencies with restructures, investigations, motion on tradition and adjustments to senior administration, have had little impression. The Well being Minister usually introduced such actions determined for enchancment.

Within the meantime, the tradition at Calvary Public Hospital has hardly ever been questioned and the administration of the ability has been very efficient. 

Why then would the Chief Minister and the Minister for Well being contemplate investing greater than a billion {dollars} of taxpayers’ cash to construct a brand new hospital over the subsequent decade? This can be a authorities determined to be seen to do one thing which may flip the tide of their very own failures in managing the healthcare system successfully.

Efficient administration, particularly within the early levels of the pandemic in Canberra, was demonstrated with global-leading excessive vaccination charges, and punctiliously managed campaigns round social distancing, hand washing, contact tracing and isolation. 

Our neighborhood ought to count on equal administration of our hospitals, which needs to be setting nationwide requirements in such areas as ready occasions for elective surgical procedure and entry to emergency care. The alternative is true!

Regardless of asserting a 20-year plan to construct the present southside Canberra Hospital, which was the topic of final week’s column, Chief Minister Andrew Barr has now modified tune and is speaking a few single decade. 

He stated: “Inside the subsequent decade, there will probably be two new hospitals with greater emergency departments, extra remedy areas and trendy tools to satisfy the healthcare wants of Canberrans.”

Well being Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith takes us back-to-the-future for individuals who bear in mind the consolidation arguments used to shut the Royal Canberra Hospital on the Acton Peninsula. The arguments have been to ship a more practical and environment friendly well being system.

The well being minister stated: “Consolidating our public hospitals to create a single community will permit us to raised co-ordinate our well being companies, distribute assets successfully, strengthen the capability of our workforce, plan infrastructure on a territory-wide foundation, and enhance well being outcomes for all Canberrans.”

Within the meantime, it’s the Liberals defending workers working on the hospital. Shadow Well being Minister Leanne Castley raises the problem of belief: “The folks which are drastically affected by this are the workers at Calvary who’ve clearly not been consulted earlier than this announcement was made. “The well being minister should clarify why it has been saved secret from the workers and when Calvary was alerted about this draconian step to pressure them to promote”.

The stance was verified by the CEO of Cavalry Healthcare, Martin Bowles, who identified that the workers “haven’t been consulted in any respect in regards to the potential ramifications of this resolution”. He added: “I’m not exaggerating saying these individuals are completely devastated.”

There’s merely no denying that the ACT authorities has launched a hostile takeover. Platitudes and due to Calvary for 44 years of service is not going to change this actuality as laws is launched to permit the takeover.

Politically, the benefit of this transfer is that it offers an argument that the ACT authorities is addressing all of the ills of the ACT hospital system. With actions like this, it’s no marvel that the Liberals are calling for a Royal Fee to actually perceive the issues and options dealing with our hospital system.

Michael Moore is a former member of the ACT Legislative Meeting and an unbiased minister for well being. He has been a political columnist with “CityNews” since 2006.