❓ Ms. Mettam questions the Minister for Health regarding discrepancies in Midland St John of God Hospital's annual reports, specifically concerning doctor accreditation, caregiver numbers, and patient admissions, attributing declines to COVID-19 impacts.
AnsweredQoN 839Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the 2020-21 and 2021-22 Midland St John of God Public and Private Hospital Annual reports, and I ask: (a) How does the Minister account for the dramatic rise in the number of accredited Doctors from 240 in 2020-21 to 574 in 2021-22; (b) Comparison of the two reports reveals an increase of 248 in the number of caregivers at the Hospital between 2020-2021 and 2021-2022, can the Minister quantify how many of those additional caregivers were employed to work within the St John of God Public Hospital; (c) How does the Minister account for the 6 per cent drop in the number of public patient admission at the hospital between 2020-21 and 2021-22 despite the hospital's location within one of the fastest growing growth corridors in the Perth Metropolitan area; (d) How does the Minister account for the 11.5 per cent drop in the number of public outpatients being seen at the hospital between 2020-21 and 2021-22 despite the hospital's location within one of the fastest growing growth corridors in the Perth Metropolitan area; (e) How does the Minister account for the 3 per cent drop in the number of emergency presentations being seen at the hospital between 2020-21 and 2021-22 despite the hospital's location within one of the fastest growing growth corridors in the Perth Metropolitan area; and (f) How does the Minister account for the 3.5 per cent drop in the number of mental health admissions to the hospital between 2020-21 and 2021-22 despite the hospital's location within one of the fastest growing growth corridors in the Perth Metropolitan area?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
12 September 2023
Responded by
Minister for Health
Response time
9 days
(a) The St John of God Midland Public Hospital (SJGMPH) Annual Report for the financial year 2020-21 refers to the number of accredited doctors at the hospital. The term ‘accredited doctors’ refers to Medical Consultants, Visiting Medical Officers and Surgical Assistants who are accredited for private assisting. In comparison, the 2021–22 Annual Report lists all doctors at the hospital. SJGMPH reported that the number of accredited doctors at the hospital for the 2021- 22 period was 230.
(b) 213 caregivers.
(c) Physical presentations and admissions at hospitals across the country were impacted by COVID-19. This is reflective of a national trend, particularly during WA’s peak community transmission periods, in which a range of restrictions upon both physical movement and service delivery were in place resulting in a decrease to patient admissions for the identified period.
(d-e) The 2021-22 period was during WA’s peak community transmission for COVID-19. Due to widespread hospital avoidance associated with the pandemic, this resulted in a reduction in presentations.
(f) There was a general downturn in admissions and presentations during 2021-22 due to COVID-19 transmission in the community, restrictions that were in place and a reluctance to attend the hospital. Emergency department admissions are also closely linked to mental health admissions: a decrease in one would generally impact the other.
(b) 213 caregivers.
(c) Physical presentations and admissions at hospitals across the country were impacted by COVID-19. This is reflective of a national trend, particularly during WA’s peak community transmission periods, in which a range of restrictions upon both physical movement and service delivery were in place resulting in a decrease to patient admissions for the identified period.
(d-e) The 2021-22 period was during WA’s peak community transmission for COVID-19. Due to widespread hospital avoidance associated with the pandemic, this resulted in a reduction in presentations.
(f) There was a general downturn in admissions and presentations during 2021-22 due to COVID-19 transmission in the community, restrictions that were in place and a reluctance to attend the hospital. Emergency department admissions are also closely linked to mental health admissions: a decrease in one would generally impact the other.
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