Hobart Private Hospital
Encyclopedia
The Hobart Private Hospital was established in 1999 following the Government of Tasmania
's decision to privatise the Queen Alexandria maternity wing attached to the Royal Hobart Hospital
. Many were opposed to the privatisation of the wing, but it was a policy agenda of Tony Rundle
's Liberal Party
(in power 1996-1998) to privatise the bulk of Tasmania's public infrastructure.
The Hobart Private Hospital provides private health care specialising in the areas of Accident
, Emergency
, Cardiac, Orthopaedics, Gastroenterology
, Urology
, Plasitc
and Reconstructive Surgery
, Respiratory Medicine
, and General Surgery
.
Australian Hospital Care Limited purchased the site following the sale of the Queen Alexandra wing in 1999, but soon found themselves compulsorily purchased by Mayne Nickless Limited (now Mayne Group Limited).
Despite the Liberal Party's determination to make their policy of privatisation of public infrastructure work, the private sector in Hobart, which is a relatively small market, was already well served by Calvary Hospital
, St Johns Calvary Hospital and St Helens Private Hospital, and Hobart Private was experiencing financial difficulties within months of opening. Despite frequent requests from the board of the Royal Hobart Hospital
to the Tasmanian Government for them to reacquire the site in order that the RHH could make much need expansions, the owners of Hobart Private refused to sell unless all three of their Tasmanian Hospitals were bought in one package.
By 2001 Healthscope
had bought Hobart Private from Mayne Health, and through shrewd management made it profitable.
The Royal continued to apply pressure on the government to buy the site, as they were becoming desperate to expand, but Healthscope, now turning a profit, rejected it.
Also the increasing need to turn profit for shareholders led to a reduction of service provision, and the Liberal's grand vision of a private sector which would solve all of the government's healthcare problems was falling apart.
In 2005 premier Paul Lennon
again requested the return of the site in order to aid the desperate need for the Royal's redevelopment, but the request was again flatly refused by Healthscope. By June 2005, the Hobart Private was having problems with accreditiation and facilities management, and even had to be evacuated due to flooding.
By August 2005 the Hobart Private Hospital had been flagged by Australia's national healthcare standards organisation as one of 26 hospitals nationally that was failing to meet required standards, however this report was claimed to be misrepresentative by Healthscope's chief medical officer, Michael Coglin. Dr. Coglin stated that the report's concerns were directed at issues of infrastructure which had already been addressed and that there was no criticism of the hospital's patient care contained within the report.
In November 2008, Hobart Private Hospital bought Tasmania's first PET scanner.
Government of Tasmania
The form of the Government of Tasmania is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1856, although it has been amended many times since then...
's decision to privatise the Queen Alexandria maternity wing attached to the Royal Hobart Hospital
Royal Hobart Hospital
The Royal Hobart Hospital is a public hospital located the in Hobart CBD, Tasmania, Australia. The RHH also functions as a teaching hospital in co-operation with University of Tasmania. The hospital's research facilities are known as the RHH Research Foundation.The hospital is run by the Tasmanian...
. Many were opposed to the privatisation of the wing, but it was a policy agenda of Tony Rundle
Tony Rundle
Anthony Maxwell Rundle AO was the Premier of the Australian State of Tasmania from 18 March 1996 to 14 September 1998. He succeeded Ray Groom and was succeeded himself by Jim Bacon. He is a Liberal who held the seat of Braddon between 1986 and 2002. A former journalist, he is married to...
's Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
(in power 1996-1998) to privatise the bulk of Tasmania's public infrastructure.
The Hobart Private Hospital provides private health care specialising in the areas of Accident
Accident
An accident or mishap is an unforeseen and unplanned event or circumstance, often with lack of intention or necessity. It implies a generally negative outcome which may have been avoided or prevented had circumstances leading up to the accident been recognized, and acted upon, prior to its...
, Emergency
Emergency
An emergency is a situation that poses an immediate risk to health, life, property or environment. Most emergencies require urgent intervention to prevent a worsening of the situation, although in some situations, mitigation may not be possible and agencies may only be able to offer palliative...
, Cardiac, Orthopaedics, Gastroenterology
Gastroenterology
Gastroenterology is the branch of medicine whereby the digestive system and its disorders are studied. The name is a combination of three Ancient Greek words gaster , enteron , and logos...
, Urology
Urology
Urology is the medical and surgical specialty that focuses on the urinary tracts of males and females, and on the reproductive system of males. Medical professionals specializing in the field of urology are called urologists and are trained to diagnose, treat, and manage patients with urological...
, Plasitc
Plastic surgery
Plastic surgery is a medical specialty concerned with the correction or restoration of form and function. Though cosmetic or aesthetic surgery is the best-known kind of plastic surgery, most plastic surgery is not cosmetic: plastic surgery includes many types of reconstructive surgery, hand...
and Reconstructive Surgery
Reconstructive surgery
Reconstructive surgery is, in its broadest sense, the use of surgery to restore the form and function of the body, although Maxillo-Facial Surgeons, Plastic Surgeons and Otolaryngologists do reconstructive surgery on faces after trauma and to reconstruct the head and neck after cancer.Other...
, Respiratory Medicine
Pulmonology
In medicine, pulmonology is the specialty that deals with diseases of the respiratory tract and respiratory disease. It is called chest medicine and respiratory medicine in some countries and areas...
, and General Surgery
General surgery
General surgery, despite its name, is a surgical specialty that focuses on abdominal organs, e.g., intestines including esophagus, stomach, small bowel, colon, liver, pancreas, gallbladder and bile ducts, and often the thyroid gland . They also deal with diseases involving the skin, breast, soft...
.
Australian Hospital Care Limited purchased the site following the sale of the Queen Alexandra wing in 1999, but soon found themselves compulsorily purchased by Mayne Nickless Limited (now Mayne Group Limited).
Despite the Liberal Party's determination to make their policy of privatisation of public infrastructure work, the private sector in Hobart, which is a relatively small market, was already well served by Calvary Hospital
Calvary Hospital, Hobart
Calvary Hospital is a Catholic not-for-profit private hospital, located in Lenah Valley, Hobart, Tasmania.Calvary provides specialised treatment in the areas of orthopaedic surgery, urology, gynaecology, neurosurgery, paediatric surgery, plastic surgery, vascular surgery, cardiology, respiratory...
, St Johns Calvary Hospital and St Helens Private Hospital, and Hobart Private was experiencing financial difficulties within months of opening. Despite frequent requests from the board of the Royal Hobart Hospital
Royal Hobart Hospital
The Royal Hobart Hospital is a public hospital located the in Hobart CBD, Tasmania, Australia. The RHH also functions as a teaching hospital in co-operation with University of Tasmania. The hospital's research facilities are known as the RHH Research Foundation.The hospital is run by the Tasmanian...
to the Tasmanian Government for them to reacquire the site in order that the RHH could make much need expansions, the owners of Hobart Private refused to sell unless all three of their Tasmanian Hospitals were bought in one package.
By 2001 Healthscope
Healthscope
Healthscope is an Australian company which operates private hospitals, a pathology business and medical centres. The company is headquartered in St. Kilda Road, Melbourne. The company operates medical/surgical hospitals as well as a number of psychiatric and rehabilitation clinics...
had bought Hobart Private from Mayne Health, and through shrewd management made it profitable.
The Royal continued to apply pressure on the government to buy the site, as they were becoming desperate to expand, but Healthscope, now turning a profit, rejected it.
Also the increasing need to turn profit for shareholders led to a reduction of service provision, and the Liberal's grand vision of a private sector which would solve all of the government's healthcare problems was falling apart.
In 2005 premier Paul Lennon
Paul Lennon
Paul Anthony Lennon is an Australian Labor Party politician. He was Premier of Tasmania from 21 March 2004 until his resignation on 26 May 2008. He was member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly for the seat of Franklin from 1990 until officially resigning on 27 May 2008...
again requested the return of the site in order to aid the desperate need for the Royal's redevelopment, but the request was again flatly refused by Healthscope. By June 2005, the Hobart Private was having problems with accreditiation and facilities management, and even had to be evacuated due to flooding.
By August 2005 the Hobart Private Hospital had been flagged by Australia's national healthcare standards organisation as one of 26 hospitals nationally that was failing to meet required standards, however this report was claimed to be misrepresentative by Healthscope's chief medical officer, Michael Coglin. Dr. Coglin stated that the report's concerns were directed at issues of infrastructure which had already been addressed and that there was no criticism of the hospital's patient care contained within the report.
In November 2008, Hobart Private Hospital bought Tasmania's first PET scanner.