Laverty to take over Junee pathology service

THE pathology crisis in Junee has been partially resolved with a new service provider set to move in to the Junee Medical Centre next month.

In what has been a tumultuous week for pathology services in the town, the unit at the Junee Hospital closed on Tuesday and Healthscope Pathology announced yesterday that it would be shutting its centres across the Riverina on March 1.

Healthscope previously operated the pathology unit at the Junee Medical Centre. However, Laverty Pathology will fill the gap and take over completely when Healthscope move out. Laverty’s state quality manager and regional business manager Marios Theocharous confirmed his organisation would take over on March 1. “We’re not leaving the community without a pathology service,” he said. “We’ve also been servicing (the community) with Healthscope out of Junee for some time, (taking on) some of the more specialised pathology. “We’ll also employ the local staff. Patient care comes first, the rest comes later.”

Centre doctor Darren Corbett said the move would ensure there was no gap in pathology services in the town. “There will be no disruption of service,” he said. The new provider will also provide a limited inpatient collection service at Junee Hospital until a permanent service is found to replace the old pathology unit. Junee mayor Lola Cummins said the announcement was a relief for the community, which was set to face an uncertain period with no pathology services. “It’s really good news for Junee that there will still be pathology services in the town,” she said. “I congratulate the doctors on being so proactive.” But Cr Cummins said there were still issues with the lack of a pathology unit at the hospital for the time being. “I’m very pleased that there is a service is available and will continue to be in Junee,” she said. “That doesn’t mean we’re not going to pursue what the situation may be in the future at the hospital though.”

Positive outlook for Primary Healthcare

MEDICAL centres operator and pathology group Primary Health Care is on track to lift its 2013 earnings after cost cuts helped deliver a first half profit surge.

Primary made a net profit of $69.5 million in the six months to December 31, up 50 per cent from $46.3 million in the previous corresponding period. Managing director Dr Edmund Bateman said the group was benefiting from operating efficiencies and cost cuts. Earnings and profit margins also grew across Primary’s medical centres, pathology, and imaging divisions, despite lower GP patient numbers. Dr Bateman said the drop in patient numbers was linked to Australians still being cautious with their spending. The recent floods in Queensland and northern NSW were also expected to continue to impact the spending behaviour of affected locals, but not cause a major dent in the earnings of Primary’s GP division. “For the first quarter of this (financial) year the numbers were strong in terms of patient attendances – they flattened a bit in November and December, and come January we’ve had floods and extreme weather,” he said. “(But) in the last few weeks GP numbers are kicking up again.”

Primary’s earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose 11.6 per cent to $186.1 million in the first half. Dr Bateman said the group was on track to meet its full year target of lifting EBITDA to $370-$380 million from $351.1 million in 2011/12. Earnings per share are also expected to rise by 20-25 per cent. Dr Bateman said acquisitions of GPs, radiologists, dental and allied health were running ahead of this time last year. But he said Primary would call a halt to buying new medical centres for the time being, focusing instead on organic growth. “Clearly we’re backfilling and making the most of the footprint we’ve got and the investment we’ve made in the past, and that’s what we’ll continue to do for the foreseeable future,” he said. Primary’s shares closed flat at $4.49 after having risen by about five per cent in early trade. CommSec analyst Steven Daghlian said while investors had responded positively to Primary’s results, the stock had enjoyed some strong gains recently. “Since the beginning of the year (Primary’s shares have) done very well – it’s up about 14.2 per cent, which is about three times better than the rest of the market overall,” he said. “It’s been one of the outperformers”

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/business/breaking-news/strong-profit-rise-for-primary-health-care/story-e6frfkur-1226571388163#ixzz2K7QoHUiE

Sonic’s proposal to acquire Healthscope Ltd in ACT and Southern Tablelands

Sonic Healthcare Limited proposed to acquire the pathology business of Healthscope Limited in the ACT and Southern Tablelands area.

On 16 May 2012, the ACCC commenced a review of Sonic’s proposed acquisition of the pathology businesses of Healthscope in Queensland, Western Australia and NSW/ACT. On 17 September, Sonic announced that it no longer proposed to acquire Healthscope’s pathology business in NSW/ACT, so the ACCC did not reach a decision on that proposed acquisition.

This review related to a new proposed acquisition, limited to the ACT and Southern Tablelands. In the previous review undertaken, the ACCC considered a number of relevant aspects of the pathology sector, including in the ACT and Southern Tablelands area. The ACCC therefore undertook targeted market inquiries only.

Read the full review here: http://www.accc.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/1099830/fromItemId/751046

Qld hospital closing, health jobs going

There is growing angst across Queensland over cuts to public health services.

Workers have rallied about job cuts at a Brisbane Hospital today, and the Wide Bay Health and Hospital Service (WBHHS) has confirmed it has plans to close one of its hospitals. Meanwhile a public meeting will be held in central Queensland this evening over the future of the Moura Hospital. The action comes as Premier Campbell Newman steps up the war of words with the Queensland Nurses Union (QNU).

WBHHS has announced it has plans to close the Eidsvold Hospital, relocating services to nearby Mundubbera, and privatise the Yaralla Place Nursing Home in Maryborough. CEO Adrian Pennington says the hospital has not been able to recruit a full-time doctor or head of nursing, creating concerns about the quality of patient care. Health Minister Lawrence Springborg says closing the Eidsvold Hospital is a last resort, and the local board must consult with residents first. “They know full well that the Government’s policy is proper and full and appropriate consultation, where all options are taken to people and the community has to be comfortable with those options,” he said. “This is very, very early days and the board knows that they have to go out there and consult and work very hard to attract and find those doctors before they even consider these options.” Expressions of interest will be sought from private or not-for-profit organisations to run the 96-bed aged care facility in Maryborough.

There will also be job losses in the corporate office, and the home and community care service will be out-sourced. Mr Pennington says about 300 staff members will be affected in total. “I suspect that a large number of the current jobs that we have will transfer into those organisations,” Mr Pennington said. “I don’t believe for one minute that 300 people are going to lose their job in their entirety.” Rockhampton Health and Hospital Services Board chairman Charles Ware says changes at the Moura Hospital will not leave the town worse off. “We’ve developed a proposal for a new model of care that will preserve all existing services that are there in the main and we will explain what that is today,” he said. The community won’t be any worse off. “What we will be asking for tonight is for the community to put in place a smaller community reference group that can continue the discussion directly with the board.” In Brisbane, nurses and maintenance workers have rallied at the Princess Alexandra Hospital over job cuts.

Several hundred nurses marched through the PA chanting ‘hands off our jobs’. Mr Newman has told nurses they should take their grievances to health board members. “Their names are on the internet – it’s well known who they are – and make the case,’ Mr Newman said. “That’s what the QNU should be [doing]. “There has been no cut, there’s been a huge increase to the budget and if they think that more money should go into certain areas that is at odds with a health board I’d encourage them to engage with them.” QNU members have confronted the Premier on his regional tour in Cooktown, Townsville and Mt Isa. Mr Newman says it is politically motivated. “It’s fascinating to see that we have an orchestrated state-wide campaign from the nurses’ union,” he said. “I respect people’s right to protest but frankly this is a union that kept quiet while their members weren’t being paid.” QNU organiser Bernadette Sinclair says that is wrong. “It is insulting to our members, it’s insulting to the staff who have actually worked long hours to try to make sure people had money in their bank accounts.” The Rockhampton Health and Hospital Service Board will address a public meeting tonight to discuss the future of the hospital.

Local Member Jeff Seeney says the hospital is unsustainable in its present form, with an average of just one patient a night.