❓ Mr. Eatts questions the Cook Labor government's handling of long-stay patients in hospitals, referencing a 2022 Auditor General's report. Ms. Hammat acknowledges the issue, highlights the increasing aged population, and emphasizes the federal government's responsibility for aged care.
AnsweredQoN 345Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Health—Long-stay patients345.Mr Bevan Eattsto
the Minister for Health:I refer to the
Auditor General's 2022 reportManagement of Long
Stay Patients in Public Hospitals, which found that Western Australia
does not have an effective system for managing long-stay patients and recommended
urgent reforms in aged care and National Disability Insurance Scheme
transitions.(1) Why is it that nearly
three years after the report, the Cook Labor government continues to shift
blame onto aged-care patients for clogging our hospitals instead of fixing the
system?(2) What specific actions have been taken to
support aged-care patients to transition out of hospitals, particularly in
regional areas where services are greatly reduced?
the Minister for Health:I refer to the
Auditor General's 2022 reportManagement of Long
Stay Patients in Public Hospitals, which found that Western Australia
does not have an effective system for managing long-stay patients and recommended
urgent reforms in aged care and National Disability Insurance Scheme
transitions.(1) Why is it that nearly
three years after the report, the Cook Labor government continues to shift
blame onto aged-care patients for clogging our hospitals instead of fixing the
system?(2) What specific actions have been taken to
support aged-care patients to transition out of hospitals, particularly in
regional areas where services are greatly reduced?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
19 August 2025
Response time
0 days
Ms Meredith Hammat replied:(1)–(2) I thank the member for the
question. Of course, we are doing a lot in relation to aged care. We have been
talking about it a lot in this place. It is correct that there is a rapidly
ageing population in Western Australia. There are now more older people in
Western Australia than there have been previously. That is not just an issue
for our health system, but also a challenge for a whole range of areas. That is
why we have spent a lot of time talking about how we need to do more with respect
to aged care in the work that we are already doing. Just to put that in context
for the member, in 2016, the proportion of Western Australians over 65 was
13.5%. Now, it is more than 17%, so there has been an increase in the ageing
population.Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Members!Ms Meredith Hammat:We know it will continue to grow. We
have talked in this place before about how that is one of the challenges for
our health system. Our hospitals have a number of older people in them and they
are not the most appropriate place for them. They do not need to be in a
tertiary hospital, but they do not have an appropriate place to receive the
care that they need. On average, the number is about 200, although it has
peaked this winter at around 250 every week of those in that category of people
who are in our health system when theydo not need
to be. That is why we have been working on the question of aged care and
appropriate care for sometime. I want to be clear though: it is a federal
government responsibility.Several members
interjected.Ms Meredith Hammat:Aged care is a federal government
responsibility. That is why next week I will travel to Canberra with the
Premier and the Minister for Aged Care and Seniors. We want the federal
government to do more in relation to aged-care beds as well as home care
packages, which is a way that people can stay at home and receive appropriate
care as they get older.We have not just
been sitting around on our backsides, member. We have been looking at a range
of ways that we can provide support and assistance to older Western
Australians. That is why we have the Time to Think program—a nation-leading
program that allows older people the time to make decisions about long-term
care when they are outside a hospital environment. We have invested another
$4.9 million, on top of the $5 million that was already there, to expand and
extend this initiative. We have made a record investment of $30 million into the
Transition Care Program, which provides discharge pathways for older Western
Australians. Of course, at the last election we committed to a $1 million loan
scheme to boost aged-care infrastructure so that we can increase the number of
concessional aged-care beds over the next four years.I have said in this
place before that we are always looking at what more we can do. We are taking
steps as a state government, but those steps also include making sure that we
advocate to the federal government for it to do more in this space, because on any
measure its contribution to aged care in Western Australia is underdone.
Health—Long-stay patients
question. Of course, we are doing a lot in relation to aged care. We have been
talking about it a lot in this place. It is correct that there is a rapidly
ageing population in Western Australia. There are now more older people in
Western Australia than there have been previously. That is not just an issue
for our health system, but also a challenge for a whole range of areas. That is
why we have spent a lot of time talking about how we need to do more with respect
to aged care in the work that we are already doing. Just to put that in context
for the member, in 2016, the proportion of Western Australians over 65 was
13.5%. Now, it is more than 17%, so there has been an increase in the ageing
population.Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Members!Ms Meredith Hammat:We know it will continue to grow. We
have talked in this place before about how that is one of the challenges for
our health system. Our hospitals have a number of older people in them and they
are not the most appropriate place for them. They do not need to be in a
tertiary hospital, but they do not have an appropriate place to receive the
care that they need. On average, the number is about 200, although it has
peaked this winter at around 250 every week of those in that category of people
who are in our health system when theydo not need
to be. That is why we have been working on the question of aged care and
appropriate care for sometime. I want to be clear though: it is a federal
government responsibility.Several members
interjected.Ms Meredith Hammat:Aged care is a federal government
responsibility. That is why next week I will travel to Canberra with the
Premier and the Minister for Aged Care and Seniors. We want the federal
government to do more in relation to aged-care beds as well as home care
packages, which is a way that people can stay at home and receive appropriate
care as they get older.We have not just
been sitting around on our backsides, member. We have been looking at a range
of ways that we can provide support and assistance to older Western
Australians. That is why we have the Time to Think program—a nation-leading
program that allows older people the time to make decisions about long-term
care when they are outside a hospital environment. We have invested another
$4.9 million, on top of the $5 million that was already there, to expand and
extend this initiative. We have made a record investment of $30 million into the
Transition Care Program, which provides discharge pathways for older Western
Australians. Of course, at the last election we committed to a $1 million loan
scheme to boost aged-care infrastructure so that we can increase the number of
concessional aged-care beds over the next four years.I have said in this
place before that we are always looking at what more we can do. We are taking
steps as a state government, but those steps also include making sure that we
advocate to the federal government for it to do more in this space, because on any
measure its contribution to aged care in Western Australia is underdone.
Health—Long-stay patients
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