❓ Ms. Beard asks the Minister for Health to extend the Patient Assisted Travel Scheme (PATS) to cover dental services in the Midwest due to a lack of local services. The Minister acknowledges the issue and highlights existing PATS improvements and a commitment to regional healthcare, but doesn't directly commit to the extension.
AnsweredQoN 589Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
SCHOOL DENTAL SERVICE — MIDWEST
589. Ms M. BEARD to the Minister for Health:
I have a supplementary question.
Given the lack of dental services and the challenges that we are experiencing
in the regions, will the minister commit to
ensuring dental services are covered under the patient assisted travel scheme to allow people to travel?
589. Ms M. BEARD to the Minister for Health:
I have a supplementary question.
Given the lack of dental services and the challenges that we are experiencing
in the regions, will the minister commit to
ensuring dental services are covered under the patient assisted travel scheme to allow people to travel?
AnswerView source ↗
That is unrelated to the initial
question. That is a question about the patient assisted travel scheme. This
government has increased the fuel subsidy for
the patient assisted travel scheme. We increased the accommodation subsidy for PATS
since coming into government. We have shown a strong commitment to supporting
regional Western Australians to access health care in the metropolitan area,
when they should, and we will continue to review the provision of all of those
eligibility requirements. The reality is that the best model of care is a model
of care that is closest to home.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order!
Ms A. SANDERSON : That is the
best model of care for people in regional Western Australia and that is why we
have the dental clinics and we have some new infrastructure. We are working on
a range of programs and working with our colleagues in government and outside
government on how we can provide dentists for those regions.
The SPEAKER : Member for North
West Central, the minister was quite right at the start of her response when
she said that the supplementary question must directly relate to the original
question that was asked. Take that as guidance for future questions.
That concludes question time.
question. That is a question about the patient assisted travel scheme. This
government has increased the fuel subsidy for
the patient assisted travel scheme. We increased the accommodation subsidy for PATS
since coming into government. We have shown a strong commitment to supporting
regional Western Australians to access health care in the metropolitan area,
when they should, and we will continue to review the provision of all of those
eligibility requirements. The reality is that the best model of care is a model
of care that is closest to home.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order!
Ms A. SANDERSON : That is the
best model of care for people in regional Western Australia and that is why we
have the dental clinics and we have some new infrastructure. We are working on
a range of programs and working with our colleagues in government and outside
government on how we can provide dentists for those regions.
The SPEAKER : Member for North
West Central, the minister was quite right at the start of her response when
she said that the supplementary question must directly relate to the original
question that was asked. Take that as guidance for future questions.
That concludes question time.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.