❓ WA Health Minister expresses disappointment at the Federal Government's decision to exclude WA as an area of need for Medicare-funded MRI units, highlighting the impact on patients, particularly children and those in regional areas. The Minister commits to raising the issue with the Federal Government.
AnsweredQoN 75Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING UNITS, FEDERAL ALLOCATION
Is the Minister for Health aware that the federal Government has not included Western Australia as an area of need for magnetic resonance imaging units? Mr KUCERA
Is the Minister for Health aware that the federal Government has not included Western Australia as an area of need for magnetic resonance imaging units? Mr KUCERA
AnswerView source ↗
I note the member’s concern about health issues generally and I thank him for raising this issue. I am aware that the federal Government recently called for tenders on Medicare eligibility for magnetic resonance imaging units, which I understand are high-class X-ray machines. Another member may be able to advise me on that. The determination of the areas of need - surprise, surprise, Western Australia is not on the list - is extremely disappointing to not only the people who were hoping for them, but also people in country areas of Western Australia. I refer particularly to Bunbury, which sought assistance in this area from the federal Government. One could be excused for being a little cynical and thinking that, as the Bunbury seat has now changed hands, the assistance is no longer being considered. The latest decision by the federal Government means that Western Australians who cannot pay privately for an MRI scan will have to wait even longer. The low level of commonwealth-funded MRIs in Western Australia means that children who attend Perth specialist and premier children’s hospitals must compete with those on long waiting lists for MRIs at the adult teaching hospitals. I will urgently take up with the federal Government that matter, in addition to the overall provision of commonwealth-funded MRIs in Western Australia. By way of comparison, the Blandford report found that Western Australia had the lowest number of MRI units per capita of population at 2.69 units per million, compared with 6.38 units per million in Tasmania, which has the highest number. The latest budget is yet another example of the federal Liberal Government’s ignoring the health needs of Western Australians.
Mr KUCERA replied: I note the member’s concern about health issues generally and I thank him for raising this issue. I am aware that the federal Government recently called for tenders on Medicare eligibility for magnetic resonance imaging units, which I understand are high-class X-ray machines. Another member may be able to advise me on that. The determination of the areas of need - surprise, surprise, Western Australia is not on the list - is extremely disappointing to not only the people who were hoping for them, but also people in country areas of Western Australia. I refer particularly to Bunbury, which sought assistance in this area from the federal Government. One could be excused for being a little cynical and thinking that, as the Bunbury seat has now changed hands, the assistance is no longer being considered. The latest decision by the federal Government means that Western Australians who cannot pay privately for an MRI scan will have to wait even longer. The low level of commonwealth-funded MRIs in Western Australia means that children who attend Perth specialist and premier children’s hospitals must compete with those on long waiting lists for MRIs at the adult teaching hospitals. I will urgently take up with the federal Government that matter, in addition to the overall provision of commonwealth-funded MRIs in Western Australia. By way of comparison, the Blandford report found that Western Australia had the lowest number of MRI units per capita of population at 2.69 units per million, compared with 6.38 units per million in Tasmania, which has the highest number. The latest budget is yet another example of the federal Liberal Government’s ignoring the health needs of Western Australians.
I note the member’s concern about health issues generally and I thank him for raising this issue. I am aware that the federal Government recently called for tenders on Medicare eligibility for magnetic resonance imaging units, which I understand are high-class X-ray machines. Another member may be able to advise me on that. The determination of the areas of need - surprise, surprise, Western Australia is not on the list - is extremely disappointing to not only the people who were hoping for them, but also people in country areas of Western Australia. I refer particularly to Bunbury, which sought assistance in this area from the federal Government. One could be excused for being a little cynical and thinking that, as the Bunbury seat has now changed hands, the assistance is no longer being considered. The latest decision by the federal Government means that Western Australians who cannot pay privately for an MRI scan will have to wait even longer. The low level of commonwealth-funded MRIs in Western Australia means that children who attend Perth specialist and premier children’s hospitals must compete with those on long waiting lists for MRIs at the adult teaching hospitals. I will urgently take up with the federal Government that matter, in addition to the overall provision of commonwealth-funded MRIs in Western Australia. By way of comparison, the Blandford report found that Western Australia had the lowest number of MRI units per capita of population at 2.69 units per million, compared with 6.38 units per million in Tasmania, which has the highest number. The latest budget is yet another example of the federal Liberal Government’s ignoring the health needs of Western Australians.
The latest decision by the federal Government means that Western Australians who cannot pay privately for an MRI scan will have to wait even longer. The low level of commonwealth-funded MRIs in Western Australia means that children who attend Perth specialist and premier children’s hospitals must compete with those on long waiting lists for MRIs at the adult teaching hospitals. I will urgently take up with the federal Government that matter, in addition to the overall provision of commonwealth-funded MRIs in Western Australia. By way of comparison, the Blandford report found that Western Australia had the lowest number of MRI units per capita of population at 2.69 units per million, compared with 6.38 units per million in Tasmania, which has the highest number. The latest budget is yet another example of the federal Liberal Government’s ignoring the health needs of Western Australians.
By way of comparison, the Blandford report found that Western Australia had the lowest number of MRI units per capita of population at 2.69 units per million, compared with 6.38 units per million in Tasmania, which has the highest number. The latest budget is yet another example of the federal Liberal Government’s ignoring the health needs of Western Australians.
Mr KUCERA replied: I note the member’s concern about health issues generally and I thank him for raising this issue. I am aware that the federal Government recently called for tenders on Medicare eligibility for magnetic resonance imaging units, which I understand are high-class X-ray machines. Another member may be able to advise me on that. The determination of the areas of need - surprise, surprise, Western Australia is not on the list - is extremely disappointing to not only the people who were hoping for them, but also people in country areas of Western Australia. I refer particularly to Bunbury, which sought assistance in this area from the federal Government. One could be excused for being a little cynical and thinking that, as the Bunbury seat has now changed hands, the assistance is no longer being considered. The latest decision by the federal Government means that Western Australians who cannot pay privately for an MRI scan will have to wait even longer. The low level of commonwealth-funded MRIs in Western Australia means that children who attend Perth specialist and premier children’s hospitals must compete with those on long waiting lists for MRIs at the adult teaching hospitals. I will urgently take up with the federal Government that matter, in addition to the overall provision of commonwealth-funded MRIs in Western Australia. By way of comparison, the Blandford report found that Western Australia had the lowest number of MRI units per capita of population at 2.69 units per million, compared with 6.38 units per million in Tasmania, which has the highest number. The latest budget is yet another example of the federal Liberal Government’s ignoring the health needs of Western Australians.
I note the member’s concern about health issues generally and I thank him for raising this issue. I am aware that the federal Government recently called for tenders on Medicare eligibility for magnetic resonance imaging units, which I understand are high-class X-ray machines. Another member may be able to advise me on that. The determination of the areas of need - surprise, surprise, Western Australia is not on the list - is extremely disappointing to not only the people who were hoping for them, but also people in country areas of Western Australia. I refer particularly to Bunbury, which sought assistance in this area from the federal Government. One could be excused for being a little cynical and thinking that, as the Bunbury seat has now changed hands, the assistance is no longer being considered. The latest decision by the federal Government means that Western Australians who cannot pay privately for an MRI scan will have to wait even longer. The low level of commonwealth-funded MRIs in Western Australia means that children who attend Perth specialist and premier children’s hospitals must compete with those on long waiting lists for MRIs at the adult teaching hospitals. I will urgently take up with the federal Government that matter, in addition to the overall provision of commonwealth-funded MRIs in Western Australia. By way of comparison, the Blandford report found that Western Australia had the lowest number of MRI units per capita of population at 2.69 units per million, compared with 6.38 units per million in Tasmania, which has the highest number. The latest budget is yet another example of the federal Liberal Government’s ignoring the health needs of Western Australians.
The latest decision by the federal Government means that Western Australians who cannot pay privately for an MRI scan will have to wait even longer. The low level of commonwealth-funded MRIs in Western Australia means that children who attend Perth specialist and premier children’s hospitals must compete with those on long waiting lists for MRIs at the adult teaching hospitals. I will urgently take up with the federal Government that matter, in addition to the overall provision of commonwealth-funded MRIs in Western Australia. By way of comparison, the Blandford report found that Western Australia had the lowest number of MRI units per capita of population at 2.69 units per million, compared with 6.38 units per million in Tasmania, which has the highest number. The latest budget is yet another example of the federal Liberal Government’s ignoring the health needs of Western Australians.
By way of comparison, the Blandford report found that Western Australia had the lowest number of MRI units per capita of population at 2.69 units per million, compared with 6.38 units per million in Tasmania, which has the highest number. The latest budget is yet another example of the federal Liberal Government’s ignoring the health needs of Western Australians.
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