Hospital ward faces summer closure      

Date
    September 13, 2013


One of the busiest wards at Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital will be closed over summer, because the state government cannot afford to keep it open.

The decision to close the ward was made before the federal election, but staff were told on Tuesday.

Senior staff received an email from the Brisbane North Hospital and Health Service on Tuesday informing them the 20-bed ward, on the top floor of the RBWH, will close in a fortnight.    


Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital Ward 9B South

They were told not to talk about the closure.


Ward 9B South is a medical ward, meaning it treats people suffering strokes, pneumonia, influenza, infections, renal failure and multi-level illnesses.

It had 12 patients on Wednesday afternoon.

The ward will progressively close in two weeks and permanent hospital staff have been deployed to other areas.

Staff believe the ward is closing permanently, however RBWH executive director Keshwar Baboolal told Fairfax Media in a statement it would reopen next April.

Queensland Nurses Union secretary Beth Mohle said union staff met with ward staff on Thursday.

"We have been told it will re-open in May, but it's being closed for budgetary reasons," she said.      

Ms Mohle said health unions accepted no jobs would be lost, but questioned the impact on patients and staff.

"Our main concern is just where are the patients going to go now," she said.

On Thursday, just three four-bay units in the ward were being used to care for patients.

Staff refused to speak to Fairfax Media for fear of losing their jobs.      

Fairfax Media understands the ward is now being as an "outlay ward" for other hospital wards as patients are sent to other areas.

Professor Baboolal said the ward was being closed as part of the hospital's arrangements to cope with winter illnesses.

"The end of winter brings a reduction of patient admissions and a planned 'flexing down' of bed numbers until they are needed again next winter," Professor Baboolal said.

"The ability to flex down general medicine beds in the summer months when demand strongly drops means we can place valuable resources in other areas where need is greater."

A BNHHS spokesman said the ward would be renovated during the summer months.

However a health source said federal government funding was used to finance "refurbishments" in state hospitals, meaning state government funds were saved while this work took place.

Professor Baboolal said there would be no job losses as a result of the closure.

Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/hospital-ward-faces-summer-closure-20130912-2tnca.html#ixzz2eikz7sjf

If they arent sacking anyone how exactly are they saving any money by closing it?

SOB

Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Sep 13^th, 2013 at 9:00am:

closing a ward is not always about saving money but i'm sure some power and cleaning savings will be made, but it also frees up staff for other duties, maybe the relocation of staff will reduce waiting times in other more urgent area's.

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Sep 13^th, 2013 at 9:15am:


What you call setbacks are the DIRECT responsibility of the previous Labor Govts.

Money creates money.  The horse racing industry employs lots of people.  These people pay tax.  AND the taxes pay for the hand outs and fund the public service.

The GOVT cannot maintain public services without sustainable tax revenues.  The Govt should therefore provide INCENTIVE to the areas it gains the MOST revenues from.  Is it really that effing difficult to understand?

Do you just spend much more than YOU earn year after year after year in your household?????

If you can't afford the bills do you just keep on spending?

Evidently, as this is what Labor Governments always do...

Swagman wrote on Sep 13^th, 2013 at 9:36am:

Newman's also lining his own pockets, the pockets of his ministers and his hand-picked former council mates in the public service at substantially greater rates than was paid under the previous government.

Get on board the Newman gravy train! Toot toot!

Closing hospital wards and sacking nurses so the wealthy can have more money for a racehorse farm.

The Newman gravy train is chugging along. Toot toot!