❓ Question regarding the reduction of nursing services in Menzies, WA, and the adequacy of alternative arrangements. The response details support offered to the Shire, clarifies service provisions, and addresses concerns about after-hours care and outreach.
AnsweredQoN 2704Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I note that the Menzies nursing post, which was previously a full time post up until February 2012, has recently been filled by a nurse on a 0.6 (3days per week) basis and ask: (a) given the Shire of Menzies have previously indicated their willingness to provide the salary and accommodation for a 0.4 nursing position, what support (if any) has the WA Country Health Service provided to them in trying to attract someone appropriately qualified to cover the remaining two days a week in which the town is without a nurse; (b) why does the Department of Health website still publicise this service on their website as being staffed Mon–Fri 8.30–4.30, when it is only actually staffed three days a week; (c) is the Minister aware that members of the public calling the nurse outside working hours are redirected to HealthDirect: (i) does the Minister think this is a satisfactory arrangement for after-hours coverage; and (ii) has there been any consideration given to providing an on-call locum or nursing service based in Kalgoorlie; (d) given that on the days the nurse is not working in Menzies, the nurse does not reside in Menzies, and that the only other first aid available in town is from a St John’s trained volunteer, are there any plans by the State Government to offer free, or subsidised first aid training in the Town to up-skill the local population to deal with an emergency should one occur on a day when the nurse is not in town; (e) has the 0.5 vacancy for an Aboriginal Health Worker in the town, which is extremely important given almost half the population is Aboriginal, has this position been filled; (f) how are child-health checks and immunisations of children in the town being performed, is this being done by the nursing post; and (g) given the nursing post is only town based, what outreach services (if any) are provided within the Shire of Menzies to more remote stations, mines and communities?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
16 September 2014
Responded by
Minister for Health
Response time
34 days
(a) On 27 May 2014, the WA Country Health Service (WACHS) met with the President and the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Shire of Menzies and offered assistance and support to the Shire, should they wish to employ a second nurse to provide a nursing service in Menzies on the days that the WACHS Goldfields nurse is not in the town.
WACHS provided the Shire with a copy of the Job Description Form (JDF) for the Community Nurse Generalist (Menzies) and the Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) Award for Registered Nurses and Midwives, to assist the Shire with their consideration of employing a second nurse.
WACHS has also offered to provide the following support:
·
Information about nursing competencies and scope of practice.
·
Participation in the recruitment process (with participation on any selection panel) if requested by the Shire.
·
Assistance with up-skilling and training for the nurse, if required.
·
Collegial support for the nurse.
(b) This is an error and a request has been submitted to update the webpage with the correct information.
(c)(i) Yes. HealthDirect is staffed by qualified registered nurses and medical officers, and is the after-hours referral system utilised in rural and remote towns across Western Australia.
(ii) No. An on-call locum service in Kalgoorlie would be duplicating HealthDirect.
(d) No.
(e) Yes, since 10 February 2014.
(f) Child Health checks and Immunisation Programs are carried out by WACHS Goldfields Population Health Child Health and Community Health Nurses who are based in Kambalda and travel to the Menzies nursing post to provide this service.
The dates and times of travel are organised as and when necessary, for example when the children are due immunisations and/or child health checks as per the Childhood Immunisation Schedule and the Universal Child Health Check Schedule.
(g) The registered nurse and the Aboriginal Health Worker employed at Menzies Clinic currently provide outreach services to Morapoi and Kookynie.
As part of the Universal Child Health Service, all new parents are offered a home visit within 21 days of the birth of a baby.
WACHS does not provide health services to mining sites. Occupational Health and Safety is the responsibility of the employer.
WACHS provided the Shire with a copy of the Job Description Form (JDF) for the Community Nurse Generalist (Menzies) and the Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) Award for Registered Nurses and Midwives, to assist the Shire with their consideration of employing a second nurse.
WACHS has also offered to provide the following support:
·
Information about nursing competencies and scope of practice.
·
Participation in the recruitment process (with participation on any selection panel) if requested by the Shire.
·
Assistance with up-skilling and training for the nurse, if required.
·
Collegial support for the nurse.
(b) This is an error and a request has been submitted to update the webpage with the correct information.
(c)(i) Yes. HealthDirect is staffed by qualified registered nurses and medical officers, and is the after-hours referral system utilised in rural and remote towns across Western Australia.
(ii) No. An on-call locum service in Kalgoorlie would be duplicating HealthDirect.
(d) No.
(e) Yes, since 10 February 2014.
(f) Child Health checks and Immunisation Programs are carried out by WACHS Goldfields Population Health Child Health and Community Health Nurses who are based in Kambalda and travel to the Menzies nursing post to provide this service.
The dates and times of travel are organised as and when necessary, for example when the children are due immunisations and/or child health checks as per the Childhood Immunisation Schedule and the Universal Child Health Check Schedule.
(g) The registered nurse and the Aboriginal Health Worker employed at Menzies Clinic currently provide outreach services to Morapoi and Kookynie.
As part of the Universal Child Health Service, all new parents are offered a home visit within 21 days of the birth of a baby.
WACHS does not provide health services to mining sites. Occupational Health and Safety is the responsibility of the employer.
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