Proposed new hospital at
Frenchs Forest
More Questions than answers
CENTRALISED HOSPITAL PROPOSAL (1999-2006)
Underpining the centralised hospital proposal were four main principles argued by CCNSAH. The question is are they relevant today?
Critical mass
Rationalisation of two approximately 200 bed public hospitals into one centralised 400 bed hospital would provide the critical mass of patiens to allow for an efficient use of services, also allowing for services not currently provided to be included in the proposal (a definitive clinical services plan was developed by health with community consultation and presented with the 2004 options).
Drift to Royal North Shore
A significant argument to support the centralised hospital was that it was necesary to provide aditional services at French's Forest to take pressure of Royal North Shore. It was stated but never validated that patients would prefer to travel to RNS than be treated at either of the two small community hospitals.
Access
There were no comprehensive traffic studies completed. Area health concetrated on accidents and emergency travel times using a standard 30 minutes or 20 Km to determine the location, the far northern resident travel times were manipulated to fit the French's Forest site and the southern resident travel times were deemed not suitable for Mona Vale. The issue of traffic an transport around the intersection Warringah Road and the Wakehurst Parkway as well as flood proofing was mentioned in passing only and were not costed in the original proposal, nor was the absence of public transport raised.
Cost efectiveness and Brown VS Green field sites.
Ignoring the findings of their own 2002 report, Area Health argued the cost of construction of new hospital was much less expensive on a greenfield site with the site options paper quoting 2004 information to support their position. Despite this argument they refused to relocate Royal North Shore to Macquarie Fields and significantly upgraded the run down Hornsby hospital on its existing site.
No treasury costings were provided to the community.
It is interesting to note that in 2011 the Victorian Department of Health estimated the cost of upgrading an existing site to be between 30% and 90% less than deeloping a new site