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'Ward cleared' for Kylie
June 2, 2005 - 1:01AM
Elderly heart patients at a Melbourne hospital were moved from their beds to vacate an entire ward for pop princess Kylie Minogue when she was admitted for breast cancer surgery last month.
Minogue was given eight of the Cabrini Hospital's 18 cardio rooms in a move that angered doctors and other patients, according to a report in a Melbourne newspaper today.
Hospital spokeswoman Jackie Meiers said none of the patients were compromised as a result of the singer's stay.
The night before Minogue arrived, patients were moved from their beds to give her a wing to herself with a security guard at the end of the corridor, the report said.
Visitors to the hospital were made to enter through the intensive care unit, escorted by a nurse each time.
A doctor said intensive care was treated as a thoroughfare.
"It was very distressing and very inappropriate," said the doctor, who did not wish to be named.
"Several people were severely inconvenienced. I was very surprised that eight beds were given to one patient with a non-cardiac condition."
An elderly patient told the newspaper she thought the move was "over the top" and the level of security would have caused a nuisance to doctors.
The Australian Medical Association said all hospital beds should be allocated on the basis of need, not celebrity.
'Ward cleared' for Kylie
June 2, 2005 - 1:01AM
Elderly heart patients at a Melbourne hospital were moved from their beds to vacate an entire ward for pop princess Kylie Minogue when she was admitted for breast cancer surgery last month.
Minogue was given eight of the Cabrini Hospital's 18 cardio rooms in a move that angered doctors and other patients, according to a report in a Melbourne newspaper today.
Hospital spokeswoman Jackie Meiers said none of the patients were compromised as a result of the singer's stay.
The night before Minogue arrived, patients were moved from their beds to give her a wing to herself with a security guard at the end of the corridor, the report said.
Visitors to the hospital were made to enter through the intensive care unit, escorted by a nurse each time.
A doctor said intensive care was treated as a thoroughfare.
"It was very distressing and very inappropriate," said the doctor, who did not wish to be named.
"Several people were severely inconvenienced. I was very surprised that eight beds were given to one patient with a non-cardiac condition."
An elderly patient told the newspaper she thought the move was "over the top" and the level of security would have caused a nuisance to doctors.
The Australian Medical Association said all hospital beds should be allocated on the basis of need, not celebrity.
