Dr. Woollard questions the government's decision not to increase funding for Parkinson's WA, inquiring about cost-effectiveness analyses and alternative service provisions. The Minister responds by highlighting continued funding with indexation and broader budgetary priorities, including Parkinson's nurse specialists.

AnsweredQoN 281Legislative Assembly
Asked
17 May 2006
Portfolio
Health

QuestionView source ↗

PARKINSON’S WA - FUNDING
Many people with Parkinson’s disease will be disadvantaged by the government’s decision to not increase funding to Parkinson’s WA. (1) Has the government based its decision to not support increased funding on a cost-effective analysis? (2) If yes, will the minister please explain or table the extent of the research and the results? (3) If no, will the government conduct a cost-effective analysis within a limited time frame and review its decision to not increase funding? (4) If not, why not, and who will provide the service to those Parkinson’s disease sufferers that Parkinson’s WA is not able to assist? Mr J.A. McGINTY

AnswerView source ↗

(1)-(4) In response to the submission received from Parkinson’s Western Australia, the Department of Health will continue for a further three years the existing contract that will expire in June or July this year. The department has provided, in accordance with the indexation formula that is applied to non-government organisations, indexation at a rate of 3.4 per cent. Funding last year for the Parkinson’s association was $243 334, and that will increase to $251 608 in the coming financial year. The Department of Health funds numerous non-government organisations. It has many worthwhile propositions before it at any point in time, and it is always a question of how much money is allocated in the budget to meet those needs. Although the priorities of government expenditure include areas such as Parkinson’s nurse specialists, because they keep people well in the community and out of hospital, so this is consistent with other government expenditure, other greater priorities needed to be met from those funds that were available for addition to existing NGO contracts.
(1) Has the government based its decision to not support increased funding on a cost-effective analysis? (2) If yes, will the minister please explain or table the extent of the research and the results? (3) If no, will the government conduct a cost-effective analysis within a limited time frame and review its decision to not increase funding? (4) If not, why not, and who will provide the service to those Parkinson’s disease sufferers that Parkinson’s WA is not able to assist? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(4) In response to the submission received from Parkinson’s Western Australia, the Department of Health will continue for a further three years the existing contract that will expire in June or July this year. The department has provided, in accordance with the indexation formula that is applied to non-government organisations, indexation at a rate of 3.4 per cent. Funding last year for the Parkinson’s association was $243 334, and that will increase to $251 608 in the coming financial year. The Department of Health funds numerous non-government organisations. It has many worthwhile propositions before it at any point in time, and it is always a question of how much money is allocated in the budget to meet those needs. Although the priorities of government expenditure include areas such as Parkinson’s nurse specialists, because they keep people well in the community and out of hospital, so this is consistent with other government expenditure, other greater priorities needed to be met from those funds that were available for addition to existing NGO contracts.
(2) If yes, will the minister please explain or table the extent of the research and the results? (3) If no, will the government conduct a cost-effective analysis within a limited time frame and review its decision to not increase funding? (4) If not, why not, and who will provide the service to those Parkinson’s disease sufferers that Parkinson’s WA is not able to assist? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(4) In response to the submission received from Parkinson’s Western Australia, the Department of Health will continue for a further three years the existing contract that will expire in June or July this year. The department has provided, in accordance with the indexation formula that is applied to non-government organisations, indexation at a rate of 3.4 per cent. Funding last year for the Parkinson’s association was $243 334, and that will increase to $251 608 in the coming financial year. The Department of Health funds numerous non-government organisations. It has many worthwhile propositions before it at any point in time, and it is always a question of how much money is allocated in the budget to meet those needs. Although the priorities of government expenditure include areas such as Parkinson’s nurse specialists, because they keep people well in the community and out of hospital, so this is consistent with other government expenditure, other greater priorities needed to be met from those funds that were available for addition to existing NGO contracts.
(3) If no, will the government conduct a cost-effective analysis within a limited time frame and review its decision to not increase funding? (4) If not, why not, and who will provide the service to those Parkinson’s disease sufferers that Parkinson’s WA is not able to assist? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(4) In response to the submission received from Parkinson’s Western Australia, the Department of Health will continue for a further three years the existing contract that will expire in June or July this year. The department has provided, in accordance with the indexation formula that is applied to non-government organisations, indexation at a rate of 3.4 per cent. Funding last year for the Parkinson’s association was $243 334, and that will increase to $251 608 in the coming financial year. The Department of Health funds numerous non-government organisations. It has many worthwhile propositions before it at any point in time, and it is always a question of how much money is allocated in the budget to meet those needs. Although the priorities of government expenditure include areas such as Parkinson’s nurse specialists, because they keep people well in the community and out of hospital, so this is consistent with other government expenditure, other greater priorities needed to be met from those funds that were available for addition to existing NGO contracts.
(4) If not, why not, and who will provide the service to those Parkinson’s disease sufferers that Parkinson’s WA is not able to assist? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(4) In response to the submission received from Parkinson’s Western Australia, the Department of Health will continue for a further three years the existing contract that will expire in June or July this year. The department has provided, in accordance with the indexation formula that is applied to non-government organisations, indexation at a rate of 3.4 per cent. Funding last year for the Parkinson’s association was $243 334, and that will increase to $251 608 in the coming financial year. The Department of Health funds numerous non-government organisations. It has many worthwhile propositions before it at any point in time, and it is always a question of how much money is allocated in the budget to meet those needs. Although the priorities of government expenditure include areas such as Parkinson’s nurse specialists, because they keep people well in the community and out of hospital, so this is consistent with other government expenditure, other greater priorities needed to be met from those funds that were available for addition to existing NGO contracts.
Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(4) In response to the submission received from Parkinson’s Western Australia, the Department of Health will continue for a further three years the existing contract that will expire in June or July this year. The department has provided, in accordance with the indexation formula that is applied to non-government organisations, indexation at a rate of 3.4 per cent. Funding last year for the Parkinson’s association was $243 334, and that will increase to $251 608 in the coming financial year. The Department of Health funds numerous non-government organisations. It has many worthwhile propositions before it at any point in time, and it is always a question of how much money is allocated in the budget to meet those needs. Although the priorities of government expenditure include areas such as Parkinson’s nurse specialists, because they keep people well in the community and out of hospital, so this is consistent with other government expenditure, other greater priorities needed to be met from those funds that were available for addition to existing NGO contracts.
(1)-(4) In response to the submission received from Parkinson’s Western Australia, the Department of Health will continue for a further three years the existing contract that will expire in June or July this year. The department has provided, in accordance with the indexation formula that is applied to non-government organisations, indexation at a rate of 3.4 per cent. Funding last year for the Parkinson’s association was $243 334, and that will increase to $251 608 in the coming financial year. The Department of Health funds numerous non-government organisations. It has many worthwhile propositions before it at any point in time, and it is always a question of how much money is allocated in the budget to meet those needs. Although the priorities of government expenditure include areas such as Parkinson’s nurse specialists, because they keep people well in the community and out of hospital, so this is consistent with other government expenditure, other greater priorities needed to be met from those funds that were available for addition to existing NGO contracts.

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