Some conditions don’t need hospital admission
AT a meeting of the Goulburn Community Consultation Committee on Thursday August 11, the Goulburn Health Service Community Consultation Committee discussed recent media reports with Hospital Management, Nurses and Midwives’ Association and Local Health District representatives. We expressed community concerns and possible confusion that if bed closures were occurring now, what did this mean for the redevelopment of the Goulburn Hospital.
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We were able to establish that the management of the hospital undertakes a profile review annually, which looks at occupancy across the hospital. Over the past year occupancy has been down by 60 – 70 per cent. As a result two beds in medical and two beds in surgical ward have been taken out of service, whilst the occupancy is low. Alternatively the review also determined that an additional bed in the sub-acute rehabilitation area has been opened to accommodate the additional occupancy on this area of the hospital.
The drop in patient numbers is partly related to an increase in the treatment of patients in their homes through services such as Hospital in the Home. Hospital in the Home is clinical care that reduces the length of stay in hospital or in some instances can avoid an admissions altogether. A range of clinical conditions can be effectively and safely managed without people being admitted to hospital.
The Local Health District has been working hard, to ensure that no staff are adversely affected, and the required nursing hours per patient, per day are maintained. The Nursing and Midwifery union have not raised any concerns. It was clear that management of patient flows, rostering of nursing staff and ensuring the highest standard of care to all patients is maintained to ensure best health outcomes possible.
The Goulburn Community Consultation Committee wish to extend their support and thanks to the management of the Goulburn Hospital and the Local Health District.
Jason Shepherd, chair, Goulburn Health Service Community Consultation Committee.
Evidence of wrongdoing needs more than opinion
BILL Young (GP 10/8) makes a good point about the need for people with evidence of wrongdoing to speak up despite Codes of Conduct or other applicable regulations.
However, this step requires evidence of wrongdoing, not just opinion.
It is highly desirable to encourage all bona fide complaints of misconduct, but I cannot condone the destruction of a person’s integrity and/or professional reputation on the basis of an unsupported allegation.
If Robin Saville had evidence of wrongdoing, he also had plenty of avenues to pursue his concerns – eg. ICAC, the NSW Ombudsman, the police or the Auditor General – and an obligation to do so as a public official as long as his allegations were neither vexatious or malicious or knowingly false. This promotes confidence in the system’s integrity and procedural fairness to all concerned.
Sallie Saunders, Goulburn.
Finest GP and friend
I HAVE just heard of the death of Dr Michael Burgess. Michael looked after me since early childhood and later in life after the deaths of my family members, especially my Dad. A finer GP or friend I never had. Thank you, Michael, and all my love goes to his family
Gabrielle Lipscomb, Oberon.
Stand up and speak up
TARAGO residents remain unrepresented by Goulburn Mulwaree councillors who saw no need to make a submission on amendment number 12 to the Woodlawn Bioreactor disaster this year. Silence. Why? Election time means someone should stand up and speak up for Tarago residents. Too big to keep too quiet for too long.