❓ The Minister for Health reports on the progress of a $2 million plan to reduce public dental waiting lists, highlighting the number of patients treated in Bunbury and other regional centers. The initiative has reduced the overall waitlist, and efforts are underway to recruit dentists to regional areas to prevent future backlogs.
AnsweredQoN 247Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
In February this year the Government announced a $2 million plan to cut thousands of patients from the public dental waiting list throughout Western Australia. Can the minister please advise on what progress has been made in Bunbury and other regional centres? Mr J.A. McGINTY
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member very much for this question. I am delighted to report to the House that this week will see the 1 000th patient being treated under the State Government’s $2 million plan to provide treatment to long-wait dental patients. The strategy targeted public patients who had been waiting longer than 14 months for general dental treatment at clinics in Bunbury, the Swan district, Rockingham, Warwick, Albany and the goldfields, as well as in the metropolitan area. As at 5 May, a total of 986 patients had been treated - 858 from the metropolitan clinics, 65 from Albany, 49 from Bunbury and 14 from Kalgoorlie. Treatment offers have been accepted by 3 876 patients, 796 of whom are with the Oral Health Centre of Western Australia - 476 metropolitan and 320 country patients. The other 3 080 patients are listed with the dental health services and are to be treated by the dental health service clinics and private practitioners participating in the metropolitan and country dental subsidy schemes. Around 150 to 200 patients are currently being treated each week. More than 2 000 patients are expected to have received treatment under this program by the end of the wait list initiative period in June. Mr M.F. Board: That has been reasonably successful, but what strategy have you got in place to stop this blowing out again once that money has been spent? Mr J.A. McGINTY: In responding to that interjection, I will take the opportunity to wish the member for Murdoch well in his recently announced future, and I mean that sincerely. We have seen success from a targeted $2 million program, and the extent of the success has demonstrated that. I hope to continue the targeted nature of this work into the future, which is something I will need to discuss with the Treasurer. In respect of country members, the Oral Health Centre has reported filling its available appointments to the end of May. Priority has been given to country patients to ensure they complete their treatment by mid June. To date, the Department of Health has made travel and accommodation subsidy payments to 71 claims. This initiative has also had a positive effect on reducing the number of people waiting for public dental treatment, as well as the amount of time that they wait. I am pleased to say that in January 2004, 20 966 patients were on the total state wait list for general treatment. At the end of April 2004, that number had collapsed to 14 695 patients, which is still unacceptable. We should not have wait lists that long, but at least they are improving. In conclusion, we have also been working hard to address one of the other underlying issues - this is the other part of the answer to the member for Murdoch’s interjection - by recruiting dentists to work in country areas. We have been successful in recruiting eight overseas dentists who have been employed specifically to work in regional areas, with the first starting in Kalgoorlie-Boulder in the next week or so. Dentists have also been recruited to work in Port Hedland, Derby and Newman. Two married dentist couples have accepted positions, with one couple working in Albany and the other in Bunbury. I am hopeful that at least in the regional areas we will see a dramatic turnaround in the unacceptably long waiting times that we have seen to date.
Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I thank the member very much for this question. I am delighted to report to the House that this week will see the 1 000th patient being treated under the State Government’s $2 million plan to provide treatment to long-wait dental patients. The strategy targeted public patients who had been waiting longer than 14 months for general dental treatment at clinics in Bunbury, the Swan district, Rockingham, Warwick, Albany and the goldfields, as well as in the metropolitan area. As at 5 May, a total of 986 patients had been treated - 858 from the metropolitan clinics, 65 from Albany, 49 from Bunbury and 14 from Kalgoorlie. Treatment offers have been accepted by 3 876 patients, 796 of whom are with the Oral Health Centre of Western Australia - 476 metropolitan and 320 country patients. The other 3 080 patients are listed with the dental health services and are to be treated by the dental health service clinics and private practitioners participating in the metropolitan and country dental subsidy schemes. Around 150 to 200 patients are currently being treated each week. More than 2 000 patients are expected to have received treatment under this program by the end of the wait list initiative period in June. Mr M.F. Board: That has been reasonably successful, but what strategy have you got in place to stop this blowing out again once that money has been spent? Mr J.A. McGINTY: In responding to that interjection, I will take the opportunity to wish the member for Murdoch well in his recently announced future, and I mean that sincerely. We have seen success from a targeted $2 million program, and the extent of the success has demonstrated that. I hope to continue the targeted nature of this work into the future, which is something I will need to discuss with the Treasurer. In respect of country members, the Oral Health Centre has reported filling its available appointments to the end of May. Priority has been given to country patients to ensure they complete their treatment by mid June. To date, the Department of Health has made travel and accommodation subsidy payments to 71 claims. This initiative has also had a positive effect on reducing the number of people waiting for public dental treatment, as well as the amount of time that they wait. I am pleased to say that in January 2004, 20 966 patients were on the total state wait list for general treatment. At the end of April 2004, that number had collapsed to 14 695 patients, which is still unacceptable. We should not have wait lists that long, but at least they are improving. In conclusion, we have also been working hard to address one of the other underlying issues - this is the other part of the answer to the member for Murdoch’s interjection - by recruiting dentists to work in country areas. We have been successful in recruiting eight overseas dentists who have been employed specifically to work in regional areas, with the first starting in Kalgoorlie-Boulder in the next week or so. Dentists have also been recruited to work in Port Hedland, Derby and Newman. Two married dentist couples have accepted positions, with one couple working in Albany and the other in Bunbury. I am hopeful that at least in the regional areas we will see a dramatic turnaround in the unacceptably long waiting times that we have seen to date.
I thank the member very much for this question. I am delighted to report to the House that this week will see the 1 000th patient being treated under the State Government’s $2 million plan to provide treatment to long-wait dental patients. The strategy targeted public patients who had been waiting longer than 14 months for general dental treatment at clinics in Bunbury, the Swan district, Rockingham, Warwick, Albany and the goldfields, as well as in the metropolitan area. As at 5 May, a total of 986 patients had been treated - 858 from the metropolitan clinics, 65 from Albany, 49 from Bunbury and 14 from Kalgoorlie. Treatment offers have been accepted by 3 876 patients, 796 of whom are with the Oral Health Centre of Western Australia - 476 metropolitan and 320 country patients. The other 3 080 patients are listed with the dental health services and are to be treated by the dental health service clinics and private practitioners participating in the metropolitan and country dental subsidy schemes. Around 150 to 200 patients are currently being treated each week. More than 2 000 patients are expected to have received treatment under this program by the end of the wait list initiative period in June. Mr M.F. Board: That has been reasonably successful, but what strategy have you got in place to stop this blowing out again once that money has been spent? Mr J.A. McGINTY: In responding to that interjection, I will take the opportunity to wish the member for Murdoch well in his recently announced future, and I mean that sincerely. We have seen success from a targeted $2 million program, and the extent of the success has demonstrated that. I hope to continue the targeted nature of this work into the future, which is something I will need to discuss with the Treasurer. In respect of country members, the Oral Health Centre has reported filling its available appointments to the end of May. Priority has been given to country patients to ensure they complete their treatment by mid June. To date, the Department of Health has made travel and accommodation subsidy payments to 71 claims. This initiative has also had a positive effect on reducing the number of people waiting for public dental treatment, as well as the amount of time that they wait. I am pleased to say that in January 2004, 20 966 patients were on the total state wait list for general treatment. At the end of April 2004, that number had collapsed to 14 695 patients, which is still unacceptable. We should not have wait lists that long, but at least they are improving. In conclusion, we have also been working hard to address one of the other underlying issues - this is the other part of the answer to the member for Murdoch’s interjection - by recruiting dentists to work in country areas. We have been successful in recruiting eight overseas dentists who have been employed specifically to work in regional areas, with the first starting in Kalgoorlie-Boulder in the next week or so. Dentists have also been recruited to work in Port Hedland, Derby and Newman. Two married dentist couples have accepted positions, with one couple working in Albany and the other in Bunbury. I am hopeful that at least in the regional areas we will see a dramatic turnaround in the unacceptably long waiting times that we have seen to date.
Mr M.F. Board: That has been reasonably successful, but what strategy have you got in place to stop this blowing out again once that money has been spent? Mr J.A. McGINTY: In responding to that interjection, I will take the opportunity to wish the member for Murdoch well in his recently announced future, and I mean that sincerely. We have seen success from a targeted $2 million program, and the extent of the success has demonstrated that. I hope to continue the targeted nature of this work into the future, which is something I will need to discuss with the Treasurer. In respect of country members, the Oral Health Centre has reported filling its available appointments to the end of May. Priority has been given to country patients to ensure they complete their treatment by mid June. To date, the Department of Health has made travel and accommodation subsidy payments to 71 claims. This initiative has also had a positive effect on reducing the number of people waiting for public dental treatment, as well as the amount of time that they wait. I am pleased to say that in January 2004, 20 966 patients were on the total state wait list for general treatment. At the end of April 2004, that number had collapsed to 14 695 patients, which is still unacceptable. We should not have wait lists that long, but at least they are improving. In conclusion, we have also been working hard to address one of the other underlying issues - this is the other part of the answer to the member for Murdoch’s interjection - by recruiting dentists to work in country areas. We have been successful in recruiting eight overseas dentists who have been employed specifically to work in regional areas, with the first starting in Kalgoorlie-Boulder in the next week or so. Dentists have also been recruited to work in Port Hedland, Derby and Newman. Two married dentist couples have accepted positions, with one couple working in Albany and the other in Bunbury. I am hopeful that at least in the regional areas we will see a dramatic turnaround in the unacceptably long waiting times that we have seen to date.
Mr J.A. McGINTY: In responding to that interjection, I will take the opportunity to wish the member for Murdoch well in his recently announced future, and I mean that sincerely. We have seen success from a targeted $2 million program, and the extent of the success has demonstrated that. I hope to continue the targeted nature of this work into the future, which is something I will need to discuss with the Treasurer. In respect of country members, the Oral Health Centre has reported filling its available appointments to the end of May. Priority has been given to country patients to ensure they complete their treatment by mid June. To date, the Department of Health has made travel and accommodation subsidy payments to 71 claims. This initiative has also had a positive effect on reducing the number of people waiting for public dental treatment, as well as the amount of time that they wait. I am pleased to say that in January 2004, 20 966 patients were on the total state wait list for general treatment. At the end of April 2004, that number had collapsed to 14 695 patients, which is still unacceptable. We should not have wait lists that long, but at least they are improving. In conclusion, we have also been working hard to address one of the other underlying issues - this is the other part of the answer to the member for Murdoch’s interjection - by recruiting dentists to work in country areas. We have been successful in recruiting eight overseas dentists who have been employed specifically to work in regional areas, with the first starting in Kalgoorlie-Boulder in the next week or so. Dentists have also been recruited to work in Port Hedland, Derby and Newman. Two married dentist couples have accepted positions, with one couple working in Albany and the other in Bunbury. I am hopeful that at least in the regional areas we will see a dramatic turnaround in the unacceptably long waiting times that we have seen to date.
We have seen success from a targeted $2 million program, and the extent of the success has demonstrated that. I hope to continue the targeted nature of this work into the future, which is something I will need to discuss with the Treasurer. In respect of country members, the Oral Health Centre has reported filling its available appointments to the end of May. Priority has been given to country patients to ensure they complete their treatment by mid June. To date, the Department of Health has made travel and accommodation subsidy payments to 71 claims. This initiative has also had a positive effect on reducing the number of people waiting for public dental treatment, as well as the amount of time that they wait. I am pleased to say that in January 2004, 20 966 patients were on the total state wait list for general treatment. At the end of April 2004, that number had collapsed to 14 695 patients, which is still unacceptable. We should not have wait lists that long, but at least they are improving. In conclusion, we have also been working hard to address one of the other underlying issues - this is the other part of the answer to the member for Murdoch’s interjection - by recruiting dentists to work in country areas. We have been successful in recruiting eight overseas dentists who have been employed specifically to work in regional areas, with the first starting in Kalgoorlie-Boulder in the next week or so. Dentists have also been recruited to work in Port Hedland, Derby and Newman. Two married dentist couples have accepted positions, with one couple working in Albany and the other in Bunbury. I am hopeful that at least in the regional areas we will see a dramatic turnaround in the unacceptably long waiting times that we have seen to date.
In respect of country members, the Oral Health Centre has reported filling its available appointments to the end of May. Priority has been given to country patients to ensure they complete their treatment by mid June. To date, the Department of Health has made travel and accommodation subsidy payments to 71 claims. This initiative has also had a positive effect on reducing the number of people waiting for public dental treatment, as well as the amount of time that they wait. I am pleased to say that in January 2004, 20 966 patients were on the total state wait list for general treatment. At the end of April 2004, that number had collapsed to 14 695 patients, which is still unacceptable. We should not have wait lists that long, but at least they are improving. In conclusion, we have also been working hard to address one of the other underlying issues - this is the other part of the answer to the member for Murdoch’s interjection - by recruiting dentists to work in country areas. We have been successful in recruiting eight overseas dentists who have been employed specifically to work in regional areas, with the first starting in Kalgoorlie-Boulder in the next week or so. Dentists have also been recruited to work in Port Hedland, Derby and Newman. Two married dentist couples have accepted positions, with one couple working in Albany and the other in Bunbury. I am hopeful that at least in the regional areas we will see a dramatic turnaround in the unacceptably long waiting times that we have seen to date.
This initiative has also had a positive effect on reducing the number of people waiting for public dental treatment, as well as the amount of time that they wait. I am pleased to say that in January 2004, 20 966 patients were on the total state wait list for general treatment. At the end of April 2004, that number had collapsed to 14 695 patients, which is still unacceptable. We should not have wait lists that long, but at least they are improving. In conclusion, we have also been working hard to address one of the other underlying issues - this is the other part of the answer to the member for Murdoch’s interjection - by recruiting dentists to work in country areas. We have been successful in recruiting eight overseas dentists who have been employed specifically to work in regional areas, with the first starting in Kalgoorlie-Boulder in the next week or so. Dentists have also been recruited to work in Port Hedland, Derby and Newman. Two married dentist couples have accepted positions, with one couple working in Albany and the other in Bunbury. I am hopeful that at least in the regional areas we will see a dramatic turnaround in the unacceptably long waiting times that we have seen to date.
In conclusion, we have also been working hard to address one of the other underlying issues - this is the other part of the answer to the member for Murdoch’s interjection - by recruiting dentists to work in country areas. We have been successful in recruiting eight overseas dentists who have been employed specifically to work in regional areas, with the first starting in Kalgoorlie-Boulder in the next week or so. Dentists have also been recruited to work in Port Hedland, Derby and Newman. Two married dentist couples have accepted positions, with one couple working in Albany and the other in Bunbury. I am hopeful that at least in the regional areas we will see a dramatic turnaround in the unacceptably long waiting times that we have seen to date.
Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I thank the member very much for this question. I am delighted to report to the House that this week will see the 1 000th patient being treated under the State Government’s $2 million plan to provide treatment to long-wait dental patients. The strategy targeted public patients who had been waiting longer than 14 months for general dental treatment at clinics in Bunbury, the Swan district, Rockingham, Warwick, Albany and the goldfields, as well as in the metropolitan area. As at 5 May, a total of 986 patients had been treated - 858 from the metropolitan clinics, 65 from Albany, 49 from Bunbury and 14 from Kalgoorlie. Treatment offers have been accepted by 3 876 patients, 796 of whom are with the Oral Health Centre of Western Australia - 476 metropolitan and 320 country patients. The other 3 080 patients are listed with the dental health services and are to be treated by the dental health service clinics and private practitioners participating in the metropolitan and country dental subsidy schemes. Around 150 to 200 patients are currently being treated each week. More than 2 000 patients are expected to have received treatment under this program by the end of the wait list initiative period in June. Mr M.F. Board: That has been reasonably successful, but what strategy have you got in place to stop this blowing out again once that money has been spent? Mr J.A. McGINTY: In responding to that interjection, I will take the opportunity to wish the member for Murdoch well in his recently announced future, and I mean that sincerely. We have seen success from a targeted $2 million program, and the extent of the success has demonstrated that. I hope to continue the targeted nature of this work into the future, which is something I will need to discuss with the Treasurer. In respect of country members, the Oral Health Centre has reported filling its available appointments to the end of May. Priority has been given to country patients to ensure they complete their treatment by mid June. To date, the Department of Health has made travel and accommodation subsidy payments to 71 claims. This initiative has also had a positive effect on reducing the number of people waiting for public dental treatment, as well as the amount of time that they wait. I am pleased to say that in January 2004, 20 966 patients were on the total state wait list for general treatment. At the end of April 2004, that number had collapsed to 14 695 patients, which is still unacceptable. We should not have wait lists that long, but at least they are improving. In conclusion, we have also been working hard to address one of the other underlying issues - this is the other part of the answer to the member for Murdoch’s interjection - by recruiting dentists to work in country areas. We have been successful in recruiting eight overseas dentists who have been employed specifically to work in regional areas, with the first starting in Kalgoorlie-Boulder in the next week or so. Dentists have also been recruited to work in Port Hedland, Derby and Newman. Two married dentist couples have accepted positions, with one couple working in Albany and the other in Bunbury. I am hopeful that at least in the regional areas we will see a dramatic turnaround in the unacceptably long waiting times that we have seen to date.
I thank the member very much for this question. I am delighted to report to the House that this week will see the 1 000th patient being treated under the State Government’s $2 million plan to provide treatment to long-wait dental patients. The strategy targeted public patients who had been waiting longer than 14 months for general dental treatment at clinics in Bunbury, the Swan district, Rockingham, Warwick, Albany and the goldfields, as well as in the metropolitan area. As at 5 May, a total of 986 patients had been treated - 858 from the metropolitan clinics, 65 from Albany, 49 from Bunbury and 14 from Kalgoorlie. Treatment offers have been accepted by 3 876 patients, 796 of whom are with the Oral Health Centre of Western Australia - 476 metropolitan and 320 country patients. The other 3 080 patients are listed with the dental health services and are to be treated by the dental health service clinics and private practitioners participating in the metropolitan and country dental subsidy schemes. Around 150 to 200 patients are currently being treated each week. More than 2 000 patients are expected to have received treatment under this program by the end of the wait list initiative period in June. Mr M.F. Board: That has been reasonably successful, but what strategy have you got in place to stop this blowing out again once that money has been spent? Mr J.A. McGINTY: In responding to that interjection, I will take the opportunity to wish the member for Murdoch well in his recently announced future, and I mean that sincerely. We have seen success from a targeted $2 million program, and the extent of the success has demonstrated that. I hope to continue the targeted nature of this work into the future, which is something I will need to discuss with the Treasurer. In respect of country members, the Oral Health Centre has reported filling its available appointments to the end of May. Priority has been given to country patients to ensure they complete their treatment by mid June. To date, the Department of Health has made travel and accommodation subsidy payments to 71 claims. This initiative has also had a positive effect on reducing the number of people waiting for public dental treatment, as well as the amount of time that they wait. I am pleased to say that in January 2004, 20 966 patients were on the total state wait list for general treatment. At the end of April 2004, that number had collapsed to 14 695 patients, which is still unacceptable. We should not have wait lists that long, but at least they are improving. In conclusion, we have also been working hard to address one of the other underlying issues - this is the other part of the answer to the member for Murdoch’s interjection - by recruiting dentists to work in country areas. We have been successful in recruiting eight overseas dentists who have been employed specifically to work in regional areas, with the first starting in Kalgoorlie-Boulder in the next week or so. Dentists have also been recruited to work in Port Hedland, Derby and Newman. Two married dentist couples have accepted positions, with one couple working in Albany and the other in Bunbury. I am hopeful that at least in the regional areas we will see a dramatic turnaround in the unacceptably long waiting times that we have seen to date.
Mr M.F. Board: That has been reasonably successful, but what strategy have you got in place to stop this blowing out again once that money has been spent? Mr J.A. McGINTY: In responding to that interjection, I will take the opportunity to wish the member for Murdoch well in his recently announced future, and I mean that sincerely. We have seen success from a targeted $2 million program, and the extent of the success has demonstrated that. I hope to continue the targeted nature of this work into the future, which is something I will need to discuss with the Treasurer. In respect of country members, the Oral Health Centre has reported filling its available appointments to the end of May. Priority has been given to country patients to ensure they complete their treatment by mid June. To date, the Department of Health has made travel and accommodation subsidy payments to 71 claims. This initiative has also had a positive effect on reducing the number of people waiting for public dental treatment, as well as the amount of time that they wait. I am pleased to say that in January 2004, 20 966 patients were on the total state wait list for general treatment. At the end of April 2004, that number had collapsed to 14 695 patients, which is still unacceptable. We should not have wait lists that long, but at least they are improving. In conclusion, we have also been working hard to address one of the other underlying issues - this is the other part of the answer to the member for Murdoch’s interjection - by recruiting dentists to work in country areas. We have been successful in recruiting eight overseas dentists who have been employed specifically to work in regional areas, with the first starting in Kalgoorlie-Boulder in the next week or so. Dentists have also been recruited to work in Port Hedland, Derby and Newman. Two married dentist couples have accepted positions, with one couple working in Albany and the other in Bunbury. I am hopeful that at least in the regional areas we will see a dramatic turnaround in the unacceptably long waiting times that we have seen to date.
Mr J.A. McGINTY: In responding to that interjection, I will take the opportunity to wish the member for Murdoch well in his recently announced future, and I mean that sincerely. We have seen success from a targeted $2 million program, and the extent of the success has demonstrated that. I hope to continue the targeted nature of this work into the future, which is something I will need to discuss with the Treasurer. In respect of country members, the Oral Health Centre has reported filling its available appointments to the end of May. Priority has been given to country patients to ensure they complete their treatment by mid June. To date, the Department of Health has made travel and accommodation subsidy payments to 71 claims. This initiative has also had a positive effect on reducing the number of people waiting for public dental treatment, as well as the amount of time that they wait. I am pleased to say that in January 2004, 20 966 patients were on the total state wait list for general treatment. At the end of April 2004, that number had collapsed to 14 695 patients, which is still unacceptable. We should not have wait lists that long, but at least they are improving. In conclusion, we have also been working hard to address one of the other underlying issues - this is the other part of the answer to the member for Murdoch’s interjection - by recruiting dentists to work in country areas. We have been successful in recruiting eight overseas dentists who have been employed specifically to work in regional areas, with the first starting in Kalgoorlie-Boulder in the next week or so. Dentists have also been recruited to work in Port Hedland, Derby and Newman. Two married dentist couples have accepted positions, with one couple working in Albany and the other in Bunbury. I am hopeful that at least in the regional areas we will see a dramatic turnaround in the unacceptably long waiting times that we have seen to date.
We have seen success from a targeted $2 million program, and the extent of the success has demonstrated that. I hope to continue the targeted nature of this work into the future, which is something I will need to discuss with the Treasurer. In respect of country members, the Oral Health Centre has reported filling its available appointments to the end of May. Priority has been given to country patients to ensure they complete their treatment by mid June. To date, the Department of Health has made travel and accommodation subsidy payments to 71 claims. This initiative has also had a positive effect on reducing the number of people waiting for public dental treatment, as well as the amount of time that they wait. I am pleased to say that in January 2004, 20 966 patients were on the total state wait list for general treatment. At the end of April 2004, that number had collapsed to 14 695 patients, which is still unacceptable. We should not have wait lists that long, but at least they are improving. In conclusion, we have also been working hard to address one of the other underlying issues - this is the other part of the answer to the member for Murdoch’s interjection - by recruiting dentists to work in country areas. We have been successful in recruiting eight overseas dentists who have been employed specifically to work in regional areas, with the first starting in Kalgoorlie-Boulder in the next week or so. Dentists have also been recruited to work in Port Hedland, Derby and Newman. Two married dentist couples have accepted positions, with one couple working in Albany and the other in Bunbury. I am hopeful that at least in the regional areas we will see a dramatic turnaround in the unacceptably long waiting times that we have seen to date.
In respect of country members, the Oral Health Centre has reported filling its available appointments to the end of May. Priority has been given to country patients to ensure they complete their treatment by mid June. To date, the Department of Health has made travel and accommodation subsidy payments to 71 claims. This initiative has also had a positive effect on reducing the number of people waiting for public dental treatment, as well as the amount of time that they wait. I am pleased to say that in January 2004, 20 966 patients were on the total state wait list for general treatment. At the end of April 2004, that number had collapsed to 14 695 patients, which is still unacceptable. We should not have wait lists that long, but at least they are improving. In conclusion, we have also been working hard to address one of the other underlying issues - this is the other part of the answer to the member for Murdoch’s interjection - by recruiting dentists to work in country areas. We have been successful in recruiting eight overseas dentists who have been employed specifically to work in regional areas, with the first starting in Kalgoorlie-Boulder in the next week or so. Dentists have also been recruited to work in Port Hedland, Derby and Newman. Two married dentist couples have accepted positions, with one couple working in Albany and the other in Bunbury. I am hopeful that at least in the regional areas we will see a dramatic turnaround in the unacceptably long waiting times that we have seen to date.
This initiative has also had a positive effect on reducing the number of people waiting for public dental treatment, as well as the amount of time that they wait. I am pleased to say that in January 2004, 20 966 patients were on the total state wait list for general treatment. At the end of April 2004, that number had collapsed to 14 695 patients, which is still unacceptable. We should not have wait lists that long, but at least they are improving. In conclusion, we have also been working hard to address one of the other underlying issues - this is the other part of the answer to the member for Murdoch’s interjection - by recruiting dentists to work in country areas. We have been successful in recruiting eight overseas dentists who have been employed specifically to work in regional areas, with the first starting in Kalgoorlie-Boulder in the next week or so. Dentists have also been recruited to work in Port Hedland, Derby and Newman. Two married dentist couples have accepted positions, with one couple working in Albany and the other in Bunbury. I am hopeful that at least in the regional areas we will see a dramatic turnaround in the unacceptably long waiting times that we have seen to date.
In conclusion, we have also been working hard to address one of the other underlying issues - this is the other part of the answer to the member for Murdoch’s interjection - by recruiting dentists to work in country areas. We have been successful in recruiting eight overseas dentists who have been employed specifically to work in regional areas, with the first starting in Kalgoorlie-Boulder in the next week or so. Dentists have also been recruited to work in Port Hedland, Derby and Newman. Two married dentist couples have accepted positions, with one couple working in Albany and the other in Bunbury. I am hopeful that at least in the regional areas we will see a dramatic turnaround in the unacceptably long waiting times that we have seen to date.
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