NSW: Hospital bed benchmark an arbitrary one: Nile

AAP General News (Australia)
12-21-2007
NSW: Hospital bed benchmark an arbitrary one: Nile

The head of an inquiry into Sydney's Royal North Hospital has defended his committee's
failure to specify an increase in the number of beds needed at the beleaguered hospital.

NSW Upper House MP FRED NILE led the inquiry .. which has handed down a report with
45 recommendations to improve patient care.

But it's stopped short of stating how many extra beds are needed to reduce the pressures
on the hospital.

Reverend NILE has told ABC Radio .. the hospital's patient capacity level has been
running at 90 per cent for the past two years .. which isn't far off the industry benchmark
of 85 per cent.

He says TONY JOSEPH .. the co-director of trauma services at Royal North Shore .. has
recommended an immediate increase of 12 beds .. with another 70 to follow.

Reverend NILE says they've produced one of the most comprehensive reports on one single
hospital and it hasn't been compiled just to sit on the shelf and gather dust.

AAP RTV vpm/was/sw/jec/

KEYWORD: HEALTH NSW NILE (SYDNEY)

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