❓ The Minister for Health outlines initiatives to support frontline hospital staff safety and wellbeing, including increased workforce and behavioural support teams, aiming for improved patient outcomes. The government highlights its commitment to making WA the healthiest state.
AnsweredQoN 119Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Hospitals—Frontline staff
119. Ms Colleen Egan to the Minister for Health:
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's commitment to supporting frontline staff in our hospitals.
(1)
Can the minister outline to the house how initiatives by this government are
ensuring the safety and wellbeing of staff to support Western Australians in
their time of need?
(2) Can the minister advise the house how these
initiatives support improved patient outcomes?
119. Ms Colleen Egan to the Minister for Health:
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's commitment to supporting frontline staff in our hospitals.
(1)
Can the minister outline to the house how initiatives by this government are
ensuring the safety and wellbeing of staff to support Western Australians in
their time of need?
(2) Can the minister advise the house how these
initiatives support improved patient outcomes?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member
for Thornlie for the question.
(1)–(2) As I have said before in this
place, we are strengthening the health system through investing in increasing
the health workforce. We have increased the WA workforce by more than 30%—4,400
more nurses, 1,800 more doctors—and that is because we on this side of
the house value the work of our WA healthcare workers and understand that staff
are the most important part of our health system.
We have seen
some great outcomes through enterprise agreements, working constructively with
the unions in health, including the Australian Medical Association, but also
the United Workers Union, the Australian Nursing Federation and the Health
Services Union—but there is always more work we can do to support our
staff and we are always looking for other opportunities to do that, and that is
why we have rolled out a behavioural support team to support staff safety. This
team of eight psychologically trained staff has been established at Royal Perth
Hospital and it will play a preventive role whenever a challenging situation
arises. This is an evidence-based program and it is already seeing great
results. By de-escalating challenging behaviours before they become a risk, we
are able to protect staff, but we are also able to protect patients and
visitors to the hospital.
I am also
really pleased to be able to report that there is a similar team being rolled
out at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, and the early results here are also
extremely positive. Just in the first few months of operation, the Sir Charles
Gairdner behaviour evaluation and review team has provided 441 consultations to assist patients who have behavioural issues. The
program will soon be also rolled out to Osborne Park Hospital.
Members, we
know there is nothing more important in our hospitals than the workers who keep
the system running, and keeping our workers safe is a huge priority for this
government. We know there is a direct correlation between staff wellbeing and
improved patient outcomes, and by investing in proactive initiatives like
these, we expect to see positive impacts. This is all part of the Cook Labor
government's commitment to making sure WA is the healthiest state in the
nation.
for Thornlie for the question.
(1)–(2) As I have said before in this
place, we are strengthening the health system through investing in increasing
the health workforce. We have increased the WA workforce by more than 30%—4,400
more nurses, 1,800 more doctors—and that is because we on this side of
the house value the work of our WA healthcare workers and understand that staff
are the most important part of our health system.
We have seen
some great outcomes through enterprise agreements, working constructively with
the unions in health, including the Australian Medical Association, but also
the United Workers Union, the Australian Nursing Federation and the Health
Services Union—but there is always more work we can do to support our
staff and we are always looking for other opportunities to do that, and that is
why we have rolled out a behavioural support team to support staff safety. This
team of eight psychologically trained staff has been established at Royal Perth
Hospital and it will play a preventive role whenever a challenging situation
arises. This is an evidence-based program and it is already seeing great
results. By de-escalating challenging behaviours before they become a risk, we
are able to protect staff, but we are also able to protect patients and
visitors to the hospital.
I am also
really pleased to be able to report that there is a similar team being rolled
out at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, and the early results here are also
extremely positive. Just in the first few months of operation, the Sir Charles
Gairdner behaviour evaluation and review team has provided 441 consultations to assist patients who have behavioural issues. The
program will soon be also rolled out to Osborne Park Hospital.
Members, we
know there is nothing more important in our hospitals than the workers who keep
the system running, and keeping our workers safe is a huge priority for this
government. We know there is a direct correlation between staff wellbeing and
improved patient outcomes, and by investing in proactive initiatives like
these, we expect to see positive impacts. This is all part of the Cook Labor
government's commitment to making sure WA is the healthiest state in the
nation.
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