❓ Ms. Sanderson inquires about the allocation of additional palliative care funding, particularly in regional areas. The Minister details the funding breakdown, focusing on increased beds, community services, and staffing, especially in rural and remote WA.
AnsweredQoN 875Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PALLIATIVE CARE —
FUNDING
875. Ms A. SANDERSON to the Minister for Health:
I refer to the McGowan Labor government's
record investment in palliative care services across Western Australia that
support the sickest and most vulnerable people in our community.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house how the additional $17.8 million announced last
week will build on the record palliative care funding that has already been
committed?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house how this funding will boost services in regional and
remote Western Australia?
FUNDING
875. Ms A. SANDERSON to the Minister for Health:
I refer to the McGowan Labor government's
record investment in palliative care services across Western Australia that
support the sickest and most vulnerable people in our community.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house how the additional $17.8 million announced last
week will build on the record palliative care funding that has already been
committed?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house how this funding will boost services in regional and
remote Western Australia?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question.
All members would remember the great role the member for Morley played as the
chair of the Joint Select Committee on End of Life Choices.
(1)–(2) I was very proud to provide the government's
final response to the committee's report, which was to call for a significant
boost to palliative care funding in Western Australia. The Premier and I announced
another record, now boosting our investment in palliative care services to over
$224 million over the forward estimates. This is a significant boost and
increase in funding. Our latest funding announcement was for $17.8 million, $9 million
of which went towards an additional 10 inpatient palliative care beds in the
northern metropolitan suburbs—a recommendation from the joint select
committee. I would like to commend the members for Joondalup, Kingsley and
Balcatta for their advocacy for those extra 10 beds. In addition, the joint
select committee called for an additional expansion of community-based
palliative care services. We have boosted that funding by $6.3 million, $4 million
of which will be dedicated to the metropolitan area and $2 million of which
will be dedicated to boost community palliative care services in rural and
regional communities in Western Australia. A final $2.5 million will go towards
enhancing rural and regional palliative care services by improved training in
governance, a refined model of palliative care and the rollout of services.
This final piece of funding will enhance the already announced funding of $30 million
to increase palliative care services in rural and regional communities—a
massive boost to funding. The
Premier and I in making our announcement provided details of where that funding
will go. I am very proud to say that
we will employ an extra 61 full-time equivalent staff right across rural and
regional communities of Western Australia. This will have a significant boost
upon the current 12 FTE that we have engaged across rural and regional
communities, and will enable the government to make sure that people, no matter
where they live and no matter what their condition, will be able to receive
palliative care services.
Australia already has some of the
best palliative care services available internationally. This will ensure that Western
Australia keeps pace with the rest of the states and, indeed, leads the rest of
the states in ensuring that we have palliative care services right across the
regions. It also means that we can engage a team of Aboriginal healthcare
workers who can ensure that palliative care services are available to not only
members of the mainstream Western Australian community, but also members of the
Aboriginal community right throughout the state. This is a significant increase
in funding. It is record funding in palliative care services in Western Australia's
history, and I am very proud to say that rural and regional Western Australians
will be the chief beneficiaries of this extra investment.
All members would remember the great role the member for Morley played as the
chair of the Joint Select Committee on End of Life Choices.
(1)–(2) I was very proud to provide the government's
final response to the committee's report, which was to call for a significant
boost to palliative care funding in Western Australia. The Premier and I announced
another record, now boosting our investment in palliative care services to over
$224 million over the forward estimates. This is a significant boost and
increase in funding. Our latest funding announcement was for $17.8 million, $9 million
of which went towards an additional 10 inpatient palliative care beds in the
northern metropolitan suburbs—a recommendation from the joint select
committee. I would like to commend the members for Joondalup, Kingsley and
Balcatta for their advocacy for those extra 10 beds. In addition, the joint
select committee called for an additional expansion of community-based
palliative care services. We have boosted that funding by $6.3 million, $4 million
of which will be dedicated to the metropolitan area and $2 million of which
will be dedicated to boost community palliative care services in rural and
regional communities in Western Australia. A final $2.5 million will go towards
enhancing rural and regional palliative care services by improved training in
governance, a refined model of palliative care and the rollout of services.
This final piece of funding will enhance the already announced funding of $30 million
to increase palliative care services in rural and regional communities—a
massive boost to funding. The
Premier and I in making our announcement provided details of where that funding
will go. I am very proud to say that
we will employ an extra 61 full-time equivalent staff right across rural and
regional communities of Western Australia. This will have a significant boost
upon the current 12 FTE that we have engaged across rural and regional
communities, and will enable the government to make sure that people, no matter
where they live and no matter what their condition, will be able to receive
palliative care services.
Australia already has some of the
best palliative care services available internationally. This will ensure that Western
Australia keeps pace with the rest of the states and, indeed, leads the rest of
the states in ensuring that we have palliative care services right across the
regions. It also means that we can engage a team of Aboriginal healthcare
workers who can ensure that palliative care services are available to not only
members of the mainstream Western Australian community, but also members of the
Aboriginal community right throughout the state. This is a significant increase
in funding. It is record funding in palliative care services in Western Australia's
history, and I am very proud to say that rural and regional Western Australians
will be the chief beneficiaries of this extra investment.
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