Brisbane QLD - Intermediate Hospital?

[Voltaire1694]

Hello - Does anyone know of the history of an "Intermediate Hospital" or "Women's Intermediate Hospital" in Brisbane?  Shows up quite a lot in Brisbane birth notices from the 1940s / 1950s and probably before then.  A web search couldn't locate anything useful and it's such a generic title (as in an intermediate level of hospital health cover).  I'm particularly interested in where it was, whether it changed name.  Thanks.

[Ruskie]

Might it be the Brisbane Women's Hospital?
http://www.findandconnect.gov.au/ref/qld/biogs/QE00458b.htm

I don't know that there would have been levels of private health cover (insurance) in the 40s/50s, though I know there were private hospitals.

I think the Brisbane Women's was the main public hospital at the time. Perhaps the "Intermediate" was a private maternity hospital, though you wouldn't expect to see many births in private hospitals in the 40s/50s, and you say you have seen a lot of mentions of the Intermediate. 

Can you transcribe a couple of examples of how the birth notices were worded please in case it is of relevance? (don't include names though as the people mention may still be living) 

I will be interested to know if someone knows the answer to this.

[majm]

Yes,  I think so Ruskie 

"Women who want to enter intermediate rooms in the Brisbane Women's Hospital have to book
at least a month in advance.
COSTS £60 NOW
The Brisbane Hospital superintendent (Dr. A. A. Pye) said last night that the 200 intermediate beds
and 100 public beds were "always full." This also applied to the General Hospital's 1300 intermediate and public beds and the 230 beds in the Children's Hospital.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/50306155  29 Feb 1952  Courier Mail

PS,  I am NSW born and raised, so I am not sure of the QLD health system in the post WWII era, but I know there were different levels of maternity beds in the public district hospitals of rural NSW.

I am an intermediate birth myself         

ADD  I have phoned elderly female rellie, and she says "its the number of beds in the ward, and where the loo was located, nothing to do with the level of care from the doctors and nurses"

Cheers,  JM

[Ruskie]

Well found JM. 
Funnily enough, I did write in my reply that I wondered if "Intermediate" was a ward, but I removed it. 
One of our rootschat members is/was a nurse in Brisbane and I was hoping she would spot this thread.

Yes JM, I thought that a private room would be just that - private. An intermediate room might have 4 or 6 beds (for example) and a shared bathroom, and public might have dozens of beds on a ward and shared facilities.

[Voltaire1694]

  I don't know that there would have been levels of private health cover (insurance) in the 40s/50s, though I know there were private hospitals. 

I meant when you do a web search today for "intermediate hospital Brisbane" you get a lot of insurance plans!

[Voltaire1694]

Can you transcribe a couple of examples of how the birth notices were worded please in case it is of relevance? (don't include names though as the people mention may still be living)

Certainly, if you go to the birth section of The Courier Mail on 27 September 1946 page 10 (http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/2013954?zoomLevel=1), you'll see about six of the entries as born at Intermediate Hospital or Women's Intermediate Hospital.  There's one for Women's Hospital.

[Voltaire1694]

Thanks so much for help so far.  It looks like Intermediate might apply to the type of ward in the Women's Hospital, Brisbane.

[Ruskie]

  I don't know that there would have been levels of private health cover (insurance) in the 40s/50s, though I know there were private hospitals. 

I meant when you do a web search today for "intermediate hospital Brisbane" you get a lot of insurance plans!

Ah yes, I see that now - misread/misunderstood what you had written.

[Ruskie]

Can you transcribe a couple of examples of how the birth notices were worded please in case it is of relevance? (don't include names though as the people mention may still be living)

Certainly, if you go to the birth section of The Courier Mail on 27 September 1946 page 10 (http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/2013954?zoomLevel=1), you'll see about six of the entries as born at Intermediate Hospital or Women's Intermediate Hospital.  There's one for Women's Hospital.

Good to see it in context. I think JM has answered your question.