❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice addresses emergency department capacity and potential legal ramifications of turning away patients. The response declines to answer the hypothetical legal question but provides data on treatment bay numbers and denies patients are being turned away.
AnsweredQoN 360Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
HOSPITALS - EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS
I refer to emergency departments in hospitals. (1) What would be the legal situation in a member of the public was turned away from an emergency department because the allocated number of people who could be treated had been reached, and that person died? (2) What is the allocated number of people for each hospital? (3) Are people being turned away from emergency departments? (4) If yes, what are those people being told, and are they being referred to another government medical centre or to a doctor? Hon JON FORD
I refer to emergency departments in hospitals. (1) What would be the legal situation in a member of the public was turned away from an emergency department because the allocated number of people who could be treated had been reached, and that person died? (2) What is the allocated number of people for each hospital? (3) Are people being turned away from emergency departments? (4) If yes, what are those people being told, and are they being referred to another government medical centre or to a doctor? Hon JON FORD
AnswerView source ↗
On behalf of the minister representing the Minister for Health, I thank Hon Robyn McSweeney for some notice of this question. The Minister for Health has provided the following answer - (1) This question is not permitted by rule 140(b)(i) of the standing orders of the Legislative Council, as it seeks a legal opinion. (2) Tertiary hospital emergency departments have the following numbers of treatment bays, including treatment cubicles and observation beds: Royal Perth Hospital, 44; Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, 48; and Fremantle Hospital, 47. (3) No. (4) Not applicable.
(1) What would be the legal situation in a member of the public was turned away from an emergency department because the allocated number of people who could be treated had been reached, and that person died? (2) What is the allocated number of people for each hospital? (3) Are people being turned away from emergency departments? (4) If yes, what are those people being told, and are they being referred to another government medical centre or to a doctor? Hon JON FORD replied: On behalf of the minister representing the Minister for Health, I thank Hon Robyn McSweeney for some notice of this question. The Minister for Health has provided the following answer - (1) This question is not permitted by rule 140(b)(i) of the standing orders of the Legislative Council, as it seeks a legal opinion. (2) Tertiary hospital emergency departments have the following numbers of treatment bays, including treatment cubicles and observation beds: Royal Perth Hospital, 44; Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, 48; and Fremantle Hospital, 47. (3) No. (4) Not applicable.
(2) What is the allocated number of people for each hospital? (3) Are people being turned away from emergency departments? (4) If yes, what are those people being told, and are they being referred to another government medical centre or to a doctor? Hon JON FORD replied: On behalf of the minister representing the Minister for Health, I thank Hon Robyn McSweeney for some notice of this question. The Minister for Health has provided the following answer - (1) This question is not permitted by rule 140(b)(i) of the standing orders of the Legislative Council, as it seeks a legal opinion. (2) Tertiary hospital emergency departments have the following numbers of treatment bays, including treatment cubicles and observation beds: Royal Perth Hospital, 44; Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, 48; and Fremantle Hospital, 47. (3) No. (4) Not applicable.
(3) Are people being turned away from emergency departments? (4) If yes, what are those people being told, and are they being referred to another government medical centre or to a doctor? Hon JON FORD replied: On behalf of the minister representing the Minister for Health, I thank Hon Robyn McSweeney for some notice of this question. The Minister for Health has provided the following answer - (1) This question is not permitted by rule 140(b)(i) of the standing orders of the Legislative Council, as it seeks a legal opinion. (2) Tertiary hospital emergency departments have the following numbers of treatment bays, including treatment cubicles and observation beds: Royal Perth Hospital, 44; Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, 48; and Fremantle Hospital, 47. (3) No. (4) Not applicable.
(4) If yes, what are those people being told, and are they being referred to another government medical centre or to a doctor? Hon JON FORD replied: On behalf of the minister representing the Minister for Health, I thank Hon Robyn McSweeney for some notice of this question. The Minister for Health has provided the following answer - (1) This question is not permitted by rule 140(b)(i) of the standing orders of the Legislative Council, as it seeks a legal opinion. (2) Tertiary hospital emergency departments have the following numbers of treatment bays, including treatment cubicles and observation beds: Royal Perth Hospital, 44; Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, 48; and Fremantle Hospital, 47. (3) No. (4) Not applicable.
Hon JON FORD replied: On behalf of the minister representing the Minister for Health, I thank Hon Robyn McSweeney for some notice of this question. The Minister for Health has provided the following answer - (1) This question is not permitted by rule 140(b)(i) of the standing orders of the Legislative Council, as it seeks a legal opinion. (2) Tertiary hospital emergency departments have the following numbers of treatment bays, including treatment cubicles and observation beds: Royal Perth Hospital, 44; Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, 48; and Fremantle Hospital, 47. (3) No. (4) Not applicable.
On behalf of the minister representing the Minister for Health, I thank Hon Robyn McSweeney for some notice of this question. The Minister for Health has provided the following answer - (1) This question is not permitted by rule 140(b)(i) of the standing orders of the Legislative Council, as it seeks a legal opinion. (2) Tertiary hospital emergency departments have the following numbers of treatment bays, including treatment cubicles and observation beds: Royal Perth Hospital, 44; Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, 48; and Fremantle Hospital, 47. (3) No. (4) Not applicable.
(1) This question is not permitted by rule 140(b)(i) of the standing orders of the Legislative Council, as it seeks a legal opinion. (2) Tertiary hospital emergency departments have the following numbers of treatment bays, including treatment cubicles and observation beds: Royal Perth Hospital, 44; Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, 48; and Fremantle Hospital, 47. (3) No. (4) Not applicable.
(2) Tertiary hospital emergency departments have the following numbers of treatment bays, including treatment cubicles and observation beds: Royal Perth Hospital, 44; Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, 48; and Fremantle Hospital, 47. (3) No. (4) Not applicable.
(3) No. (4) Not applicable.
(4) Not applicable.
(1) What would be the legal situation in a member of the public was turned away from an emergency department because the allocated number of people who could be treated had been reached, and that person died? (2) What is the allocated number of people for each hospital? (3) Are people being turned away from emergency departments? (4) If yes, what are those people being told, and are they being referred to another government medical centre or to a doctor? Hon JON FORD replied: On behalf of the minister representing the Minister for Health, I thank Hon Robyn McSweeney for some notice of this question. The Minister for Health has provided the following answer - (1) This question is not permitted by rule 140(b)(i) of the standing orders of the Legislative Council, as it seeks a legal opinion. (2) Tertiary hospital emergency departments have the following numbers of treatment bays, including treatment cubicles and observation beds: Royal Perth Hospital, 44; Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, 48; and Fremantle Hospital, 47. (3) No. (4) Not applicable.
(2) What is the allocated number of people for each hospital? (3) Are people being turned away from emergency departments? (4) If yes, what are those people being told, and are they being referred to another government medical centre or to a doctor? Hon JON FORD replied: On behalf of the minister representing the Minister for Health, I thank Hon Robyn McSweeney for some notice of this question. The Minister for Health has provided the following answer - (1) This question is not permitted by rule 140(b)(i) of the standing orders of the Legislative Council, as it seeks a legal opinion. (2) Tertiary hospital emergency departments have the following numbers of treatment bays, including treatment cubicles and observation beds: Royal Perth Hospital, 44; Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, 48; and Fremantle Hospital, 47. (3) No. (4) Not applicable.
(3) Are people being turned away from emergency departments? (4) If yes, what are those people being told, and are they being referred to another government medical centre or to a doctor? Hon JON FORD replied: On behalf of the minister representing the Minister for Health, I thank Hon Robyn McSweeney for some notice of this question. The Minister for Health has provided the following answer - (1) This question is not permitted by rule 140(b)(i) of the standing orders of the Legislative Council, as it seeks a legal opinion. (2) Tertiary hospital emergency departments have the following numbers of treatment bays, including treatment cubicles and observation beds: Royal Perth Hospital, 44; Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, 48; and Fremantle Hospital, 47. (3) No. (4) Not applicable.
(4) If yes, what are those people being told, and are they being referred to another government medical centre or to a doctor? Hon JON FORD replied: On behalf of the minister representing the Minister for Health, I thank Hon Robyn McSweeney for some notice of this question. The Minister for Health has provided the following answer - (1) This question is not permitted by rule 140(b)(i) of the standing orders of the Legislative Council, as it seeks a legal opinion. (2) Tertiary hospital emergency departments have the following numbers of treatment bays, including treatment cubicles and observation beds: Royal Perth Hospital, 44; Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, 48; and Fremantle Hospital, 47. (3) No. (4) Not applicable.
Hon JON FORD replied: On behalf of the minister representing the Minister for Health, I thank Hon Robyn McSweeney for some notice of this question. The Minister for Health has provided the following answer - (1) This question is not permitted by rule 140(b)(i) of the standing orders of the Legislative Council, as it seeks a legal opinion. (2) Tertiary hospital emergency departments have the following numbers of treatment bays, including treatment cubicles and observation beds: Royal Perth Hospital, 44; Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, 48; and Fremantle Hospital, 47. (3) No. (4) Not applicable.
On behalf of the minister representing the Minister for Health, I thank Hon Robyn McSweeney for some notice of this question. The Minister for Health has provided the following answer - (1) This question is not permitted by rule 140(b)(i) of the standing orders of the Legislative Council, as it seeks a legal opinion. (2) Tertiary hospital emergency departments have the following numbers of treatment bays, including treatment cubicles and observation beds: Royal Perth Hospital, 44; Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, 48; and Fremantle Hospital, 47. (3) No. (4) Not applicable.
(1) This question is not permitted by rule 140(b)(i) of the standing orders of the Legislative Council, as it seeks a legal opinion. (2) Tertiary hospital emergency departments have the following numbers of treatment bays, including treatment cubicles and observation beds: Royal Perth Hospital, 44; Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, 48; and Fremantle Hospital, 47. (3) No. (4) Not applicable.
(2) Tertiary hospital emergency departments have the following numbers of treatment bays, including treatment cubicles and observation beds: Royal Perth Hospital, 44; Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, 48; and Fremantle Hospital, 47. (3) No. (4) Not applicable.
(3) No. (4) Not applicable.
(4) Not applicable.
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