❓ Hon Helen Bullock asks about the lack of a permanent podiatrist in Newman since 2009 and the government's actions to address this. The Minister responds, outlining recruitment efforts and plans for a fly-in, fly-out service.
AnsweredQoN 655Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
PODIATRIST POSITION — NEWMAN
655. Hon HELEN BULLOCK to the minister representing the Minister for
Health:
The town of Newman
has not had a resident permanent podiatrist since November 2009.
(1) What actions has the government taken to
ensure the position is filled?
(2) Has a review of the employment conditions
been undertaken?
(3) Will a visiting or fly in, fly out
service be offered in the interim?
(4) How many patients have been required to
travel outside Newman to access podiatry services since 2009?
655. Hon HELEN BULLOCK to the minister representing the Minister for
Health:
The town of Newman
has not had a resident permanent podiatrist since November 2009.
(1) What actions has the government taken to
ensure the position is filled?
(2) Has a review of the employment conditions
been undertaken?
(3) Will a visiting or fly in, fly out
service be offered in the interim?
(4) How many patients have been required to
travel outside Newman to access podiatry services since 2009?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the
honourable member for some notice of this question to the Minister for Health,
who responds as follows —
(1) The WA Country Health Service, Pilbara
has a regional podiatry position based in Port Hedland. This position will
travel to Hedland, Newman and Tom Price. WA Country Health Service, Pilbara has
unsuccessfully advertised the regional podiatry position twice a year since
2008 and the position remains unfilled. The allied health pool of qualified
Podiatrists is limited, resulting in a scarcity of the available workforce. WA
Country Health Service is currently in negotiations to contract a visiting
regional podiatrist, whose caseload will include services to Newman.
(2) No.
(3) Once the recruitment process for the
regional visiting podiatrists is completed, estimated to be by the end of
October 2010, the WA Country Health Service, Pilbara anticipates fly in, fly
out podiatry services will be offered to Newman from November 2010.
(4) Due to the ineligibility of access to
allied health services through the patient assisted travel scheme, WA Country
Health Service, Pilbara is unable to provide an estimate of the number of
patients who have been required to travel from Newman to access podiatry
services elsewhere. The data is not collected.
honourable member for some notice of this question to the Minister for Health,
who responds as follows —
(1) The WA Country Health Service, Pilbara
has a regional podiatry position based in Port Hedland. This position will
travel to Hedland, Newman and Tom Price. WA Country Health Service, Pilbara has
unsuccessfully advertised the regional podiatry position twice a year since
2008 and the position remains unfilled. The allied health pool of qualified
Podiatrists is limited, resulting in a scarcity of the available workforce. WA
Country Health Service is currently in negotiations to contract a visiting
regional podiatrist, whose caseload will include services to Newman.
(2) No.
(3) Once the recruitment process for the
regional visiting podiatrists is completed, estimated to be by the end of
October 2010, the WA Country Health Service, Pilbara anticipates fly in, fly
out podiatry services will be offered to Newman from November 2010.
(4) Due to the ineligibility of access to
allied health services through the patient assisted travel scheme, WA Country
Health Service, Pilbara is unable to provide an estimate of the number of
patients who have been required to travel from Newman to access podiatry
services elsewhere. The data is not collected.
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