By Lisa Macdonald
SYDNEY — With shouts of "Sack the government" and "We'll fight to the end", more than 1200 angry people packed into St George Leagues Club in Kogarah in Sydney's west on June 27 to protest against the ALP state government's plans for a takeover of St George public hospital by the Sisters of Charity, St Vincent's Hospital.
Two days later, more than 600 people gathered at Manly Hospital and marched to the Corso to protest against proposed changes to Monovale and Manly Hospitals which will mean fewer beds and elective admissions at both, and the abolition of the intensive care unit at Manly Hospital.
The changes are part of a plan announced by health minister Andrew Refshauge to close 870 hospital beds in "well-serviced" areas as part of a sweeping restructuring of the state's health services in which around 2000 jobs are expected to go. Refshauge claims that 924 new beds will be created in areas of greater need, but doctors, nurses, other health workers and many community groups doubt this.
Following a June 26 meeting with representatives of the NSW Nurses Association and the Labour Council, Premier Bob Carr agreed to establish a consultative committee to "work through the issues related to the restructure". The partial retreat has not, however, allayed health workers' or the community's fears.
In addition to general concerns about access to and quality of public health care, a letter being circulated by the St George Hospital branch of the Nurses Association refers to concern about the possible erosion of women's access to reproductive choice as a result of the cuts.
It states: "Service provision that will require women to be transferred or referred to other institutions because of the takeover of a public organisation by a religious order is removing basic rights of choice and access ... Handing over a valuable public asset to a charitable organisation is immoral, underhanded and goes against the government's policies and promises."