❓ Dr. Woollard asks about funding for additional school health nurses following an allocation for child health nurses. The Minister acknowledges the need and commits to addressing the school nurse component in the future.
AnsweredQoN 262Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
STATE
BUDGET 2012–13 — EARLY CHILDHOOD HEALTH CARE
262. Dr J.M. WOOLLARD to the
Minister for Health:
I congratulate the government for
allocating $58.5 million in the budget for 100 child health nurses—the
first increase in over a decade. When will the government consider funding the
additional school health nurses?
BUDGET 2012–13 — EARLY CHILDHOOD HEALTH CARE
262. Dr J.M. WOOLLARD to the
Minister for Health:
I congratulate the government for
allocating $58.5 million in the budget for 100 child health nurses—the
first increase in over a decade. When will the government consider funding the
additional school health nurses?
AnswerView source ↗
The member for Alfred Cove makes a
very good point. We are aware that she chaired the committee that provided
recommendations to government to support various aspects of a lack of funding
by previous governments, and our own, leading up to the provision of better
services for children in this state. It had three components to it. One was to
provide services such as speech therapy and occupational therapy for children,
and as I stated just recently, there was funding of just under $50 million over
four years in the budget two years ago. The second component was the additional
$58.5 million provided for childcare services.
The member made the point that I had
also spoken about school health services in my response and I had not made it
clear exactly what those funds were for. This is my opportunity to make that
clear. That $58.5 million is for the child health services component. There is
a deficiency, as reported by the Education and Health Standing Committee, of
over 100 full-time equivalents in that area. Remember, Mr Speaker, I said it
breaks the back of the problem of trying to get services for children. We still
need to address the school nurse component of that. Just as I gave commitments
before in the house that while I was minister I would ensure that the child
health services problem was addressed, so too I give an assurance that filling
the remainder of that gap, the last component of the gap that was identified by
the Education and Health Standing Committee of this Parliament, is not out of
my mind. It does need to be addressed and needs to have future funding
allocated in order to make sure that we cover the full spectrum of the issues
identified by that committee that need to be addressed by this government.
very good point. We are aware that she chaired the committee that provided
recommendations to government to support various aspects of a lack of funding
by previous governments, and our own, leading up to the provision of better
services for children in this state. It had three components to it. One was to
provide services such as speech therapy and occupational therapy for children,
and as I stated just recently, there was funding of just under $50 million over
four years in the budget two years ago. The second component was the additional
$58.5 million provided for childcare services.
The member made the point that I had
also spoken about school health services in my response and I had not made it
clear exactly what those funds were for. This is my opportunity to make that
clear. That $58.5 million is for the child health services component. There is
a deficiency, as reported by the Education and Health Standing Committee, of
over 100 full-time equivalents in that area. Remember, Mr Speaker, I said it
breaks the back of the problem of trying to get services for children. We still
need to address the school nurse component of that. Just as I gave commitments
before in the house that while I was minister I would ensure that the child
health services problem was addressed, so too I give an assurance that filling
the remainder of that gap, the last component of the gap that was identified by
the Education and Health Standing Committee of this Parliament, is not out of
my mind. It does need to be addressed and needs to have future funding
allocated in order to make sure that we cover the full spectrum of the issues
identified by that committee that need to be addressed by this government.
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