❓ Ms. Mettam questions the Minister for Health about elective surgery waitlists and the reporting of outpatient appointment wait times. The Minister deflects, citing the need for a formal question on notice and highlighting government investment in the health system.
AnsweredQoN 231Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ELECTIVE SURGERY —
WAITLISTS
231. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Health:
On behalf of the opposition, I would
also like to acknowledge the sad passing of Ian Parmenter, OAM—Western Australian
chef, broadcaster, author and strong advocate for the Margaret River region.
I refer again to the minister's
comments in this place that there is no hidden waitlist for elective surgery in
Western Australia and that the government is undertaking significant investment
and reform around outpatients and outpatient referrals.
(1) What is the current median wait time for first
appointments to see a specialist in a public hospital outpatient clinic
before being placed on the elective surgery waitlist?
(2) Why did the
government stop reporting this data in December 2017?
WAITLISTS
231. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Health:
On behalf of the opposition, I would
also like to acknowledge the sad passing of Ian Parmenter, OAM—Western Australian
chef, broadcaster, author and strong advocate for the Margaret River region.
I refer again to the minister's
comments in this place that there is no hidden waitlist for elective surgery in
Western Australia and that the government is undertaking significant investment
and reform around outpatients and outpatient referrals.
(1) What is the current median wait time for first
appointments to see a specialist in a public hospital outpatient clinic
before being placed on the elective surgery waitlist?
(2) Why did the
government stop reporting this data in December 2017?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) Even the member for Vasse knows that that kind of
question about specific data needs to be put on notice, so I request
that she put it on notice and write it in a way that will enable us to answer
it. It will be dependent on the health service provider and what region they
are in. There is a bit of assistance for the member for Vasse.
I
can confirm that this government is investing significantly in our health
system. There have been 550 or so
beds included in the system in the metropolitan area and the Bunbury
metropolitan area and FTE increases over the last couple of years of 4 000
nursing staff, 1 600 doctors and 1 700 allied health staff. All of that
significant investment has enabled us to carry out record numbers of elective
surgeries. We are doing more surgery than we
have ever done before in the Western Australian health system. We are also
reforming the way in which we manage referrals into the public system
through GPs—GPs are a really important gateway—through our $8
million investment in the Smart Referrals reform, which came through the
sustainable health review. That is how we are managing those referrals and
triaging those patients.
This government supports, invests in
and backs our public health system.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Ms A. SANDERSON : This
government backs that in with investment in staff and beds and a 30 per cent
increase in funding.
question about specific data needs to be put on notice, so I request
that she put it on notice and write it in a way that will enable us to answer
it. It will be dependent on the health service provider and what region they
are in. There is a bit of assistance for the member for Vasse.
I
can confirm that this government is investing significantly in our health
system. There have been 550 or so
beds included in the system in the metropolitan area and the Bunbury
metropolitan area and FTE increases over the last couple of years of 4 000
nursing staff, 1 600 doctors and 1 700 allied health staff. All of that
significant investment has enabled us to carry out record numbers of elective
surgeries. We are doing more surgery than we
have ever done before in the Western Australian health system. We are also
reforming the way in which we manage referrals into the public system
through GPs—GPs are a really important gateway—through our $8
million investment in the Smart Referrals reform, which came through the
sustainable health review. That is how we are managing those referrals and
triaging those patients.
This government supports, invests in
and backs our public health system.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Ms A. SANDERSON : This
government backs that in with investment in staff and beds and a 30 per cent
increase in funding.
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