❓ The WA parliamentary question addresses concerns about potential restrictions on clinical services at the new Midland Health Campus (operated by St John of God) due to their religious beliefs, specifically regarding pregnancy termination, sterilisation, contraception, and advanced health directives. The answer provides assurances that services not provided by SJGHC will be available on-site and that patient wishes will be respected.
AnsweredQoN 8013Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to St John of God, the State Government's preferred respondent to operate the new Midland Health Campus. Comments made by a Catholic Health Spokesperson on 25 February 2012 suggest that there will be some procedures which St John of God will not be able to provide, and a North Metropolitan Area Health Spokesperson, in
The West Australian
on 14 April 2012, suggested that if a contract is reached with St John of God it was expected that services such as pregnancy termination, sterilisation and contraception would not be provided. In relation to this, I ask:
(a) is the Minister concerned that St John of God may impose its beliefs on public patients, effectively restricting some of the clinical services available at the Midland Health Campus;
(b) given that a St John of God doctor was recently sacked from St John of God, Subiaco, for performing a vasectomy on a patient, and also that vasectomies are currently available to public patients at Swan District Hospital, will this clinical service be provided at the new Midland Health Campus;
(c) will St John of God's staff abide by the wishes of patients at Midland Health Campus who have advanced health care directives (Living Wills);
(d) will St John of God refer pregnant patients with abnormal defects, or a high risk of genetic conditions in their unborn foetus, to genetic counselling services at King Edward Hospital; and
(e) will pregnant patients, whose scans and or blood tests reveal a high risk of foetal abnormality, be referred to a place where they can secure a free termination under the public system?
The West Australian
on 14 April 2012, suggested that if a contract is reached with St John of God it was expected that services such as pregnancy termination, sterilisation and contraception would not be provided. In relation to this, I ask:
(a) is the Minister concerned that St John of God may impose its beliefs on public patients, effectively restricting some of the clinical services available at the Midland Health Campus;
(b) given that a St John of God doctor was recently sacked from St John of God, Subiaco, for performing a vasectomy on a patient, and also that vasectomies are currently available to public patients at Swan District Hospital, will this clinical service be provided at the new Midland Health Campus;
(c) will St John of God's staff abide by the wishes of patients at Midland Health Campus who have advanced health care directives (Living Wills);
(d) will St John of God refer pregnant patients with abnormal defects, or a high risk of genetic conditions in their unborn foetus, to genetic counselling services at King Edward Hospital; and
(e) will pregnant patients, whose scans and or blood tests reveal a high risk of foetal abnormality, be referred to a place where they can secure a free termination under the public system?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
20 June 2012
Responded by
Minister for Health
Response time
35 days
(a) The new Midland Health Campus (MHC) will deliver an increase from approximately 200 to 307 beds and an expanded range and volume of acute and sub-acute services above what is currently provided at Swan District Hospital (SDH). Any required procedures that cannot be delivered by SJGHC will be delivered by other service providers on the MHC site.
(b) The contract between SJGHC and the State Government has been signed. Any required procedures that cannot be delivered by SJGHC will be delivered by other service providers on the MHC site.
(c) Yes.
(d) King Edward Memorial Hospital (KEMH) will remain the tertiary referral centre for patients requiring a greater level of care, as is currently the case for patients of Swan District Hospital. Counselling will be provided including discussion of all relevant treatment options. Pastoral and psychological support will be provided to the mother, partner, other key family members, carers and staff.
(e) Counselling will be provided including discussion of all relevant treatment options and patients may elect to be referred to an alternative healthcare facility. It is likely that any patient seeking a termination of pregnancy will present to a General Practitioner (GP) and the GP will refer them to an appropriate facility.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
(b) The contract between SJGHC and the State Government has been signed. Any required procedures that cannot be delivered by SJGHC will be delivered by other service providers on the MHC site.
(c) Yes.
(d) King Edward Memorial Hospital (KEMH) will remain the tertiary referral centre for patients requiring a greater level of care, as is currently the case for patients of Swan District Hospital. Counselling will be provided including discussion of all relevant treatment options. Pastoral and psychological support will be provided to the mother, partner, other key family members, carers and staff.
(e) Counselling will be provided including discussion of all relevant treatment options and patients may elect to be referred to an alternative healthcare facility. It is likely that any patient seeking a termination of pregnancy will present to a General Practitioner (GP) and the GP will refer them to an appropriate facility.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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.