❓ Hon. Sophia Moermond raises concerns about long wait times for GPs, reliance on telehealth, and medication access issues in regional WA. The Minister deflects responsibility to the federal government.
AnsweredQoN 786Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
GENERAL PRACTITIONER SERVICES — REGIONS
786. Hon SOPHIA MOERMOND to the Leader of the House
representing the Minister for Health:
I refer the minister to the current
wait times in regional areas to see a doctor and for access to medication.
(1) Is the minister aware that parents in the
Geraldton region are currently waiting from eight days to two weeks to
get a doctor's appointment for their unwell children?
(2) Is the
minister aware that the only access to a medical practitioner for parents in
some regional areas is online, with doctors who are sometimes in other states?
(3) Is the
minister aware that even after receiving scripts online, many regional
pharmacies do not have access to the required medication?
(4) What is the
minister doing to alleviate the stress on parents having to rely on telehealth
or travelling long distances to Perth for their child to see a GP or collect
medication?
786. Hon SOPHIA MOERMOND to the Leader of the House
representing the Minister for Health:
I refer the minister to the current
wait times in regional areas to see a doctor and for access to medication.
(1) Is the minister aware that parents in the
Geraldton region are currently waiting from eight days to two weeks to
get a doctor's appointment for their unwell children?
(2) Is the
minister aware that the only access to a medical practitioner for parents in
some regional areas is online, with doctors who are sometimes in other states?
(3) Is the
minister aware that even after receiving scripts online, many regional
pharmacies do not have access to the required medication?
(4) What is the
minister doing to alleviate the stress on parents having to rely on telehealth
or travelling long distances to Perth for their child to see a GP or collect
medication?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1)–(4) Questions
regarding the provision of community general practitioner services should be
referred to the federal government and agencies that it funds to oversee this.
The WA Country Health Service works with these agencies to support their
initiatives related to rural general practice viability. The WA Country Health
Service provides and has maintained general practitioner services in a small
number of remote sites and supports emergency medical services across country
WA. Similarly, provision of community pharmacy services is not within the WA
Country Health Service's responsibility. The WA Country Health Service
has ensured that medication supplies through our hospital and health service
network have been maintained, and we are not aware of any delays.
some notice of the question.
(1)–(4) Questions
regarding the provision of community general practitioner services should be
referred to the federal government and agencies that it funds to oversee this.
The WA Country Health Service works with these agencies to support their
initiatives related to rural general practice viability. The WA Country Health
Service provides and has maintained general practitioner services in a small
number of remote sites and supports emergency medical services across country
WA. Similarly, provision of community pharmacy services is not within the WA
Country Health Service's responsibility. The WA Country Health Service
has ensured that medication supplies through our hospital and health service
network have been maintained, and we are not aware of any delays.
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