Mr Board questions the Health Minister about the simultaneous resignation of three obstetricians from Osborne Park Hospital. The Minister attributes the situation to systemic fragility inherited from the previous government and highlights the need for reform.

AnsweredQoN 707Legislative Assembly
Asked
19 February 2002
Member
Portfolio
Health

QuestionView source ↗

I have a supplementary question. In view of the minister’s answer to that question, why are three obstetricians resigning from the Osborne Park Hospital virtually simultaneously, and what is the background to those resignations? Mr KUCERA

AnswerView source ↗

I do not know the personal views of individual members of the health service. I know that one person is retiring, and two have chosen to go into private practice. One of the wonderful things that we have in this country is choice. However, this situation reflects the absolute fragility of the system that I inherited from the lot opposite. It boils down to the fragility of the system when three people out of a total staffing of some 30 000 can essentially hold one hospital to ransom. As I have said since day one, reform is desperately needed in this State across the whole health sector. I am proud to be in the second year of my ministry, and this Government will change the health issues in this State.
Mr KUCERA replied: I do not know the personal views of individual members of the health service. I know that one person is retiring, and two have chosen to go into private practice. One of the wonderful things that we have in this country is choice. However, this situation reflects the absolute fragility of the system that I inherited from the lot opposite. It boils down to the fragility of the system when three people out of a total staffing of some 30 000 can essentially hold one hospital to ransom. As I have said since day one, reform is desperately needed in this State across the whole health sector. I am proud to be in the second year of my ministry, and this Government will change the health issues in this State.
I do not know the personal views of individual members of the health service. I know that one person is retiring, and two have chosen to go into private practice. One of the wonderful things that we have in this country is choice. However, this situation reflects the absolute fragility of the system that I inherited from the lot opposite. It boils down to the fragility of the system when three people out of a total staffing of some 30 000 can essentially hold one hospital to ransom. As I have said since day one, reform is desperately needed in this State across the whole health sector. I am proud to be in the second year of my ministry, and this Government will change the health issues in this State.

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