Hello, it’s 3am and I’m sitting in the reception area of a ward at the Wollongong Hospital reflecting on what have been several of the most frustrating days of my life.
Initially I pressured my local specialist to get me in here in the hope the ongoing discomfort I’ve been suffering might be fixed, or at least I’d get some relief.
It began at book-in with a long wait and a marvelling at why trained nurses were having to do the myriad of paperwork and, by the way, this doesn’t stop as you progress through the system.
Why not, I mused, have properly trained clerical people do this onerous work.
While waiting for certain services, particularly medical, adds to the frustration, I must say the nursing staff deserve a pat on the back. It’s certainly not a job I’d want to do.
But it also didn’t take long to pick up a feeling that exists among hospital trained staff about their university schooled colleagues and their apparent initial on–the–job skills, particularly where the handling of patients is concerned.
And if you think you’re going to spend a lot of time with your allocated medico, think again. They’re all too busy and under real pressure.
Talking to the other patients around me in my ward I received the same message. They had no real idea how long they’d be there.
So, Mr Premier, it’s just not money the system needs but there’s a major lack of good management and customer service. Something the most recent Coronial report into the death of a teenager at Sydney’s North Shore hospital has driven home.
Believe me, from what I saw of it in a week, it’s an absolute disgrace.
Your Opinion Counts. CLICK HERE >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Why don’t they stick to their job?
So now our local councils have released a new emergency plan for the region.
It evidently considers actions that need to be taken if, for example, we get a tsunami or a major explosion at the steelworks.
I know from experience the steelworks have always had disaster plans and they regularly run special training and rescue exercises with our city’s accepted emergency groups.
In the case of an emergency at the works I’m sure the last people they’d be calling in would be our council “dreamers”.
Just another case of our ratepayers money being wasted on something that is not really a council role.
It was interesting to note that the Wollongong City Council senior officer involved in this exercise is also their choice as the person charged with helping to restore the city’s lagging infrastructure!!!
Your Opinion Counts. CLICK HERE >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Will the private fund be enough?
The decision by a group of local businesses to try and help the Illawarra Hawks survive by guaranteeing monies to a special trust fund may just help win the day.
But for how long?
Understand the group of backers prefer the special fund to just handing over their cash directly to the Hawks management. Less of a risk factor is the reason, I believe.
Your Opinion Counts. CLICK HERE >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Here we go again
Once again the annual Australia Day gongs to people in our community who have been seen to give that bit more to our society was dominated by awards to academics and the like.
Funny things there I was doing a crossword at the weekend and the clue was academic. The answer turned out be egghead!
But let’s not allow this to take the gloss away from a gong to the el supremo at our university Professor Gerard Sutton. Professor Sutton has done and achieved so much to promote the university both in Australia and overseas and deserves his recognition.
Maybe we should put him in charge of the overall promotion of Wollongong.
Your Opinion Counts. CLICK HERE >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Kev gets it half right
Our new Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has at least got it right when he KO’d a role for an ex-pollie as our new Governor General.
And, anyway, what’s Kim done in the past to even think about him for the job?
But who could be considered?
Former champion athletes John Landy and Margaret Jackson did great jobs in their roles as the respective Governors of Victoria and South Australia, so does this mean we look at well known sporting/public figures such as Rod Laver, Steve Waugh, Richie Benaud or ace yachtsman John Bertrand?
Steve could write another book about the role, but would you ever get the microphone away from Richie’s mouth?
Our leading businesspeople are somewhat on the nose of late, although Dick Smith might be considered.
A lot of people tell me Dawn Fraser is the one, but what would be wrong with Dame Edna Everage?
I’ll leave it at that possums!!!
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