Women’s and Children’s Hospital left in limbo, could be merged into other hospitals
THE future of the Women’s and Children’s Hospital is under a cloud, with SA Health chief Vickie Kaminski and the Health Minister seemingly at odds over whether a secret proposal to integrate its services into other hospitals has been totally ruled out.
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THE future of the Women’s and Children’s Hospital is under a cloud, with SA Health chief Vickie Kaminski saying a confidential proposal to integrate its services into other hospitals has not been totally ruled out.
On Wednesday she confirmed that all options were being investigated, which included merging its services with other hospitals.
But late Wednesday night, the State Government insisted the hospital would not be closed.
Officials sought to clarify earlier comments indicating possible closure, saying it would remain open but may not be rebuilt at the new Royal Adelaide Hospital site as pledged by Premier Jay Weatherill in 2013.
Ms Kaminski said yesterday that options for the WCH were being investigated.
Despite a key Labor 2014 pre-election promise that the 295-bed WCH would be built on the new Royal Adelaide Hospital precinct by 2023, Ms Kaminski indicated this was not a guarantee.
“We were looking at what the options are for the Women’s and Children’s. Integration was one that was being recommended, then we talked about a plan to invest in the Women’s and Children’s and have it co-located at the nRAH site,” she said.
“Now we are looking at all those and saying, ‘What’s the best possible option for it?’. There was discussion about co-locating at the nRAH and I think that’s probably the latest thought and we have to review it and say, ‘Is that still appropriate? What’s going into the nRAH? Where the site is — is that the right place? Should we be looking at other things?’.
“We are not looking hard at integration and eliminating the Women’s and Children’s — it is what do we do with that Women’s and Children’s now.’’
Ms Kaminski was responding to questions raised by secret documents obtained by The Advertiser arguing strongly for closure of the WCH.
The documents also raised the option of closing the Queen Elizabeth, Modbury and Noarlunga hospitals — or their EDs — as well as country hospitals and ripping 1000 beds out of the system as part of a proposed overhaul.
Each year, about 5000 babies are born at the Women’s and Children’s, while more than 30,000 people are admitted and more than 250,000 treated as outpatients.
In 2013, Premier Jay Weatherill announced the WCH would be rebuilt adjacent to the new RAH at an estimated cost of $600 million, although no money has been budgeted for the shift.
Health Minister Jack Snelling has backed away from supporting the shift, answering questions on the issue by saying he is focused on the behind-schedule, over-budget $2.1 billion new RAH project.
Late Wednesday night, he said: “The State Government has absolutely no plans to close the Women’s and Children’s Hospital whatsoever.”
The documents, prepared for the Government by consultants McKinsey & Co, state that integration of the WCH’s work across existing sites “minimises the requirement for significant capital expenditure on WCH over the next 10-20 years either through refurbishment of the existing hospital, or co-location in a new build adjacent to the nRAH”.
This recommendation was not adopted, and the Transforming Health website states the WCH will be co-located with the nRAH and “will retain its own identity, decision-making and a physical environment commensurate with leading practice for babies, children, young people and women”.
Ultimately, it would be up to the State Government to consider the capital cost.
She noted women who have serious medical issues after childbirth need access to an adult intensive care unit which is not necessarily going to be available at a future WCH.
However, she said that this needed to be balanced with the desire to ensure mothers getting intensive care treatment remained close to their newborn babies.