❓ Opposition Leader McGowan questions Premier Barnett about apparent hospital staff cuts following previous claims of service pressure at Fiona Stanley Hospital. The Premier acknowledges staff adjustments due to hospital system rebuilds, citing retirements, non-replacements, and some redundancies.
AnsweredQoN 875Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
HOSPITALS — STAFFING
875. Mr M. McGOWAN to the
Premier:
I refer to comments made by the
Minister for Health in this place in April this year, when he said there had
been, and I quote —
� a massive surge of people � voting
with their feet and going to the new hospital � and that put massive pressure
on the services of Fiona Stanley Hospital.
There were reports this morning that
hundreds of jobs are to be cut at three Perth hospitals, including at Fiona Stanley
Hospital.
(1) How does the
Premier expect the public to believe that there are hospital staff surplus to
requirements, after his government, a few months ago, said there was massive
pressure on services?
(2) Can the
Premier guarantee that no frontline medical or health staff will lose their
jobs?
875. Mr M. McGOWAN to the
Premier:
I refer to comments made by the
Minister for Health in this place in April this year, when he said there had
been, and I quote —
� a massive surge of people � voting
with their feet and going to the new hospital � and that put massive pressure
on the services of Fiona Stanley Hospital.
There were reports this morning that
hundreds of jobs are to be cut at three Perth hospitals, including at Fiona Stanley
Hospital.
(1) How does the
Premier expect the public to believe that there are hospital staff surplus to
requirements, after his government, a few months ago, said there was massive
pressure on services?
(2) Can the
Premier guarantee that no frontline medical or health staff will lose their
jobs?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) This
would be something that the Labor Party would not understand, but when we go
out and build Fiona Stanley Hospital, Perth Children's Hospital,
Midland Health Campus and expansions to Joondalup Health Campus, and then,
going around the state, Albany, Busselton and so on —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Albany, please!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Nothing will make the member for Albany happy.
Mr
P.B. Watson interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : When, as this government has undertaken, there is virtually a
rebuild of the metropolitan and country public hospital system, obviously there
is going to be a period when there are significant increases in staff numbers
as the new hospitals are being commissioned and as services to the public, sick
people, have to continue in the older hospitals. As those projects now come to
an end, there is going to be some significant adjustment. Overall, across the
health system, there are more people employed than are required, so there is
going to be a period when the numbers will be reduced. That will occur —
Mr
M. McGowan interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : The health department —
Mr
M. McGowan interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition, I call you to order for the first time.
This is not the way we can go forward.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : The actual number of people currently employed within the health
system is well above—a significant amount—what the
establishment should be. There will be a mixture of retirements, of people
leaving who will not be replaced and there will be some redundancies and so on.
We will manage that in a proper way. It is also the case that if one hospital
closes and another opens —
Mr
D.J. Kelly interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : If a hospital opens and another closes, not every worker will
be prepared to move to the new location. We certainly want them to; they are
experienced, valuable employees and we would like them to go into the new
hospitals with the modern technology and better facilities for not only
patients and families, but also staff. There are going to be some changes
taking place —
Mr
D.J. Kelly interjected.
The
SPEAKER : I call you to order for the second time, member for Bassendean.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I have finished, Mr Speaker.
Several members interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I have answered it.
would be something that the Labor Party would not understand, but when we go
out and build Fiona Stanley Hospital, Perth Children's Hospital,
Midland Health Campus and expansions to Joondalup Health Campus, and then,
going around the state, Albany, Busselton and so on —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Albany, please!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Nothing will make the member for Albany happy.
Mr
P.B. Watson interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : When, as this government has undertaken, there is virtually a
rebuild of the metropolitan and country public hospital system, obviously there
is going to be a period when there are significant increases in staff numbers
as the new hospitals are being commissioned and as services to the public, sick
people, have to continue in the older hospitals. As those projects now come to
an end, there is going to be some significant adjustment. Overall, across the
health system, there are more people employed than are required, so there is
going to be a period when the numbers will be reduced. That will occur —
Mr
M. McGowan interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : The health department —
Mr
M. McGowan interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition, I call you to order for the first time.
This is not the way we can go forward.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : The actual number of people currently employed within the health
system is well above—a significant amount—what the
establishment should be. There will be a mixture of retirements, of people
leaving who will not be replaced and there will be some redundancies and so on.
We will manage that in a proper way. It is also the case that if one hospital
closes and another opens —
Mr
D.J. Kelly interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : If a hospital opens and another closes, not every worker will
be prepared to move to the new location. We certainly want them to; they are
experienced, valuable employees and we would like them to go into the new
hospitals with the modern technology and better facilities for not only
patients and families, but also staff. There are going to be some changes
taking place —
Mr
D.J. Kelly interjected.
The
SPEAKER : I call you to order for the second time, member for Bassendean.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I have finished, Mr Speaker.
Several members interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I have answered it.
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