❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice addresses the provision of dental services in regional Western Australia, specifically in Carnarvon, Exmouth, Kalbarri, and Tom Price, focusing on access, waiting times, and associated costs.
AnsweredQoN 821Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) I refer to the provision of dental services in regional Western Australia, especially in the States North West, and I ask : (a) How many dental chairs are currently based in: (i) Carnarvon; (ii) Exmouth; (iii) Kalbarri; and (iv) Tom Price; (b) How many people are currently on the waiting list for each of the above locations; and (c) What is the average waiting time for treatment for each of the above locations? (2) For the above locations what is the average length of time in which a patient can get an appointment for work considered urgent ? (3) For the financial year 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 to date, how many patients from the above locations were transported to Geraldton, or Perth for treatment? (4) For each year 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 to date, what has been the cost associated with this transport ? (5) Are dental services available to all members of the public?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
8 August 2023
Responded by
Minister for Health
Response time
5 days
(1)
(i) Carnarvon
(ii) Exmouth
(iii) Kalbarri
(iv) Tom Price
(a)
4
2
0 #
0 @
(b) General Waitlist Adult
Number of adults
17
0
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
(b) Recall Waitlist Adult
Number of Adults
41
39
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
(b) Initial Waitlist School
Number of students
27
9
0
30
(b) Recall Waitlist School
Number of students
358
268
50
247
(c) General Waitlist Adult
Average waiting time
7.2 months
0 months
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
(c) Recall Waitlist Adult
Average waiting time
8.3 months
8.8 months
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
(c) Initial Waitlist School
Average waiting time
2 months
0 months
0 months*
3 months
(c) Recall Waitlist School
Average waiting time
20.6 months
9 months
0 months*
9.2 months
*2023 visiting mobile service completed in June 2023
# Kalbarri adult residents can utilise private dental practices in Geraldton or the public dental clinic in Geraldton if eligible
@ Tom Price adult residents can utilise the private dental practice in Tom Price or the public dental clinic in Newman if eligible
(2) Patients requiring urgent care at public dental clinics are triaged to assess patient treatment priority. Highest priority patients are offered an appointment within one day. Lower triaged patients will wait two to three weeks for an appointment. In locations without a public dental clinic, eligible patients can seek urgent care at their nearest public dental clinic following triaging as described above or, if not eligible seek care at their nearest private dental clinic. Waiting times for urgent care at private dental clinics are determined by those private practices.
(3) The below Patient Assisted Travel Scheme (PATS) data relates to dental activity where people accessed the Scheme to travel from specified locations (Carnarvon; Exmouth; Kalbarri; Tom Price) to Geraldton or Perth for the period covering 2021-2022 and 2022-2023.
2021-2022
2022-2023 (to 31 May 23)
to Geraldton
to
Perth
to Geraldton
to
Perth
Carnarvon
0
6
0
<5
Exmouth
0
0
0
<5
Kalbarri
0
0
0
<5
Tom Price
0
<5
0
<5
(4) PATS expenditure for dental related travel from the specified locations (Carnarvon; Exmouth; Kalbarri; Tom Price), totalled $7392.41 in 2021-2022, and $9255.42 in 2022-2023.
(5) Dental Health Services (DHS) provides care to patients via its two service divisions:
·The General Dental Service (mainly adult) provides urgent and general dental care to eligible patients aged 0-4 and 17 plus. To be eligible, one must possess (or be named) on a current Health Care or Pension Concession Card. In geographically isolated locations without a private dentist within a reasonable travelling distance the public clinic will also treat non card holders, that is all members of the public.
·The School Dental Service is a free service available to all children aged 5 to 16 years who attend a Department of Education listed school.
(i) Carnarvon
(ii) Exmouth
(iii) Kalbarri
(iv) Tom Price
(a)
4
2
0 #
0 @
(b) General Waitlist Adult
Number of adults
17
0
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
(b) Recall Waitlist Adult
Number of Adults
41
39
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
(b) Initial Waitlist School
Number of students
27
9
0
30
(b) Recall Waitlist School
Number of students
358
268
50
247
(c) General Waitlist Adult
Average waiting time
7.2 months
0 months
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
(c) Recall Waitlist Adult
Average waiting time
8.3 months
8.8 months
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
(c) Initial Waitlist School
Average waiting time
2 months
0 months
0 months*
3 months
(c) Recall Waitlist School
Average waiting time
20.6 months
9 months
0 months*
9.2 months
*2023 visiting mobile service completed in June 2023
# Kalbarri adult residents can utilise private dental practices in Geraldton or the public dental clinic in Geraldton if eligible
@ Tom Price adult residents can utilise the private dental practice in Tom Price or the public dental clinic in Newman if eligible
(2) Patients requiring urgent care at public dental clinics are triaged to assess patient treatment priority. Highest priority patients are offered an appointment within one day. Lower triaged patients will wait two to three weeks for an appointment. In locations without a public dental clinic, eligible patients can seek urgent care at their nearest public dental clinic following triaging as described above or, if not eligible seek care at their nearest private dental clinic. Waiting times for urgent care at private dental clinics are determined by those private practices.
(3) The below Patient Assisted Travel Scheme (PATS) data relates to dental activity where people accessed the Scheme to travel from specified locations (Carnarvon; Exmouth; Kalbarri; Tom Price) to Geraldton or Perth for the period covering 2021-2022 and 2022-2023.
2021-2022
2022-2023 (to 31 May 23)
to Geraldton
to
Perth
to Geraldton
to
Perth
Carnarvon
0
6
0
<5
Exmouth
0
0
0
<5
Kalbarri
0
0
0
<5
Tom Price
0
<5
0
<5
(4) PATS expenditure for dental related travel from the specified locations (Carnarvon; Exmouth; Kalbarri; Tom Price), totalled $7392.41 in 2021-2022, and $9255.42 in 2022-2023.
(5) Dental Health Services (DHS) provides care to patients via its two service divisions:
·The General Dental Service (mainly adult) provides urgent and general dental care to eligible patients aged 0-4 and 17 plus. To be eligible, one must possess (or be named) on a current Health Care or Pension Concession Card. In geographically isolated locations without a private dentist within a reasonable travelling distance the public clinic will also treat non card holders, that is all members of the public.
·The School Dental Service is a free service available to all children aged 5 to 16 years who attend a Department of Education listed school.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.