RPA - Sky Watch Friday

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RPA - The New

RPA - The Old

Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPA) was named after Queen Victoria's second son, His Royal Highness Prince Alfred, later Duke of Edinburgh. During a visit to Australia in 1868 Prince Alfred was the victim of an assassination attempt while on a picnic in the northern Sydney suburb of Clontarf.

Australians opened a public subscription fund to build a hospital as a memorial to his safe recovery. The prince authorised his coat of arms to be used as the new hospital's crest. King Edward VII granted the hospital its Royal prefix in 1902. RPA opened as a 146-bed hospital and received its first patients in 1882 at the Missenden Road site. During that year 1069 patients were admitted.

Now widely acknowledged for its tradition of medical innovation and leadership, RPA is responsible for producing many of the country's top clinicians. Its national and international reputation for excellence has long been established through the efforts of staff in patient care, teaching, research and support services, making it one of the State's premier tertiary referral hospitals. (Source - Sydney South West Area Health Service)

RPA - Casualty

Three ECGs, two sets of blood tests, 10 hours of very good care in casualty, two cardiac scans and an exercise stress test - all under the public health system. The only thing I have to pay for is the ambulance ride and that is covered by my health insurance. I may moan about the Medicare levy come tax time but to know that this level of health care is there if you need it is extremely reassuring.

RPA - Emergency

This week I had expected to bring you images of the Chinese New Year Parade. Circumstances, however, meant that the only photos I took last week were of various aspects of Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, one of Sydney's major teaching hospitals.

So far all seems to be well. The chest pain wasn't my heart and all tests to date are clear. But it did mess up the week somewhat.