Hon. Linda Savage questions the Minister for Health regarding child health checks following an Auditor General's report. The Minister acknowledges the issue but states no new actions or funds have been allocated since January 2011, highlighting existing high rates of newborn and school entry checks.

AnsweredQoN 88Legislative Council
Asked
23 February 2011
Portfolio
Health

QuestionView source ↗

UNIVERSAL CHILD HEALTH CHECKS
I refer to the Western Australian Auditor General’s report 11 of November 2010, “Universal Child Health Checks”, and the audit conclusion that many children are missing out on key health checks between birth and school entry. (1) Does the minister accept that many children are missing out on key health checks between birth and school entry? (2) If yes to (1), what specific action has been taken since 1 January 2011 to reduce the number of children missing out on key health checks between birth and school entry? (3) What new funds, if any, have been committed or made available in addition to the approximately $60 million allocated in the 2010–11 budget to the Department of Health’s Child and Adolescent Community Health services in the metropolitan area since 1 January 2011? Hon HELEN MORTON

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Yes; however, health focuses upon the area of screening where most is to be gained, and 99 per cent of newborns receive the initial home visit, and 84 per cent of children have a school entry check. (2)–(3) Nil.
(1) Does the minister accept that many children are missing out on key health checks between birth and school entry? (2) If yes to (1), what specific action has been taken since 1 January 2011 to reduce the number of children missing out on key health checks between birth and school entry? (3) What new funds, if any, have been committed or made available in addition to the approximately $60 million allocated in the 2010–11 budget to the Department of Health’s Child and Adolescent Community Health services in the metropolitan area since 1 January 2011? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Yes; however, health focuses upon the area of screening where most is to be gained, and 99 per cent of newborns receive the initial home visit, and 84 per cent of children have a school entry check. (2)–(3) Nil.
(2) If yes to (1), what specific action has been taken since 1 January 2011 to reduce the number of children missing out on key health checks between birth and school entry? (3) What new funds, if any, have been committed or made available in addition to the approximately $60 million allocated in the 2010–11 budget to the Department of Health’s Child and Adolescent Community Health services in the metropolitan area since 1 January 2011? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Yes; however, health focuses upon the area of screening where most is to be gained, and 99 per cent of newborns receive the initial home visit, and 84 per cent of children have a school entry check. (2)–(3) Nil.
(3) What new funds, if any, have been committed or made available in addition to the approximately $60 million allocated in the 2010–11 budget to the Department of Health’s Child and Adolescent Community Health services in the metropolitan area since 1 January 2011? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Yes; however, health focuses upon the area of screening where most is to be gained, and 99 per cent of newborns receive the initial home visit, and 84 per cent of children have a school entry check. (2)–(3) Nil.
Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Yes; however, health focuses upon the area of screening where most is to be gained, and 99 per cent of newborns receive the initial home visit, and 84 per cent of children have a school entry check. (2)–(3) Nil.
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Yes; however, health focuses upon the area of screening where most is to be gained, and 99 per cent of newborns receive the initial home visit, and 84 per cent of children have a school entry check. (2)–(3) Nil.
(1) Yes; however, health focuses upon the area of screening where most is to be gained, and 99 per cent of newborns receive the initial home visit, and 84 per cent of children have a school entry check. (2)–(3) Nil.
(2)–(3) Nil.

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