❓ A WA parliamentary question addresses concerns about the vulnerability of regional hospitals due to COVID-19 and seeks details on contingency plans, potential service changes, and staffing resources for rapid deployment in compromised sites.
AnsweredQoN 49Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS — REGIONAL HEALTH SERVICES
49. Hon
MARTIN ALDRIDGE to the Leader of the House representing the Minister for
Health:
I refer to comments from WA Country
Health Service's principal health officer, Dr Helen Van Gessel, in the Albany Advertiser of 10 February that WACHS is working on
contingency plans for remote and more vulnerable sites.
(1) Which hospitals has the state
government identified as vulnerable sites?
(2) As part of
these contingency plans, is the state government considering service changes to
any regional hospital?
(3) If yes to (2), will the minister
please provide detail of these service changes?
(4) How many
staff, by FTE, are available in the rapid deployment pool for sites that are
compromised by COVID-19 or face imminent service failure?
49. Hon
MARTIN ALDRIDGE to the Leader of the House representing the Minister for
Health:
I refer to comments from WA Country
Health Service's principal health officer, Dr Helen Van Gessel, in the Albany Advertiser of 10 February that WACHS is working on
contingency plans for remote and more vulnerable sites.
(1) Which hospitals has the state
government identified as vulnerable sites?
(2) As part of
these contingency plans, is the state government considering service changes to
any regional hospital?
(3) If yes to (2), will the minister
please provide detail of these service changes?
(4) How many
staff, by FTE, are available in the rapid deployment pool for sites that are
compromised by COVID-19 or face imminent service failure?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1) Vulnerable sites are the more
remote locations that are traditionally difficult to staff.
(2)–(3) The
state government will consider temporary service changes, other than previously
announced elective surgery changes, to regional hospitals only when all other
avenues have been exhausted and there is an inability to sustain services due
to workforce availability. The priority will be to maintain emergency care and
residential aged care.
(4) The WA Country Health Service has access to a range
of staffing resources for rapid deployment, including the rapid
deployment pool. These are continually changing, with recruitment campaigns and
recruitment ongoing.
some notice of the question.
(1) Vulnerable sites are the more
remote locations that are traditionally difficult to staff.
(2)–(3) The
state government will consider temporary service changes, other than previously
announced elective surgery changes, to regional hospitals only when all other
avenues have been exhausted and there is an inability to sustain services due
to workforce availability. The priority will be to maintain emergency care and
residential aged care.
(4) The WA Country Health Service has access to a range
of staffing resources for rapid deployment, including the rapid
deployment pool. These are continually changing, with recruitment campaigns and
recruitment ongoing.
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