Mr Marmion asks about upgrades to a ward at Princess Margaret Hospital. Dr Hames details the $1.9 million upgrade to Ward 5A, benefiting children with serious medical conditions, and highlights the government's broader health investments.

AnsweredQoN 931Legislative Assembly
Asked
24 November 2009
Portfolio
Health

QuestionView source ↗

PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL — WARD UPGRADE
I notice that the minister was in my electorate of Nedlands on Sunday reopening a ward in Princess Margaret Hospital for Children. Can the minister please explain what has been done to improve the ward for children with high-level care needs? Dr K.D. HAMES

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the local member for the question. Members will have noted the chastisement in the question. I apologise to the member for not informing him that I was in his electorate. I explain to the member that the visit was scheduled to occur a few days later, either today or tomorrow. The event was brought forward to Sunday. Unfortunately, he was not notified of that. Nevertheless, it was a fantastic event. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : The moustache might have frightened some of the children. I reckon I have caught the Leader of the Opposition already, and I started nine days behind. Members would have seen the picture of the little girl wearing a beanie in The West Australian . I thank The West for publishing that picture and the two television channels that acceded to my request to run a story on her on the TV that night. She has a brain tumour behind her right eye. She was about to have surgery the next day. We spent $1.9 million on a major upgrade to the ward. More than 1 000 young kids who are at the more serious end of medical conditions go through that ward each year. When we went into the ward, we saw three children who had had cardiac surgery two days earlier, a child with a brain tumour and some children with spinal injuries, chronic severe head injuries and the like. Ward 5A has been significantly upgraded. It is a major step forward for PMH and the way we look after our patients. The upgrading of that ward adds to a number of significant investments by this government since we have been in office, including $30 million to reduce the waitlist for surgery, more than $30 million for the patient assisted travel scheme, similar amounts for the Royal Flying Doctor Service and $84 million to organisations such as Silver Chain that provide care in the home. This government has made a significant investment in health in this state. On top of that we have invested considerable funds in the regional areas, particularly the Pilbara. This government is committed to significantly upgrading health standards in the state, and I think this ward is an excellent example of that.
Dr K.D. HAMES replied: I thank the local member for the question. Members will have noted the chastisement in the question. I apologise to the member for not informing him that I was in his electorate. I explain to the member that the visit was scheduled to occur a few days later, either today or tomorrow. The event was brought forward to Sunday. Unfortunately, he was not notified of that. Nevertheless, it was a fantastic event. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : The moustache might have frightened some of the children. I reckon I have caught the Leader of the Opposition already, and I started nine days behind. Members would have seen the picture of the little girl wearing a beanie in The West Australian . I thank The West for publishing that picture and the two television channels that acceded to my request to run a story on her on the TV that night. She has a brain tumour behind her right eye. She was about to have surgery the next day. We spent $1.9 million on a major upgrade to the ward. More than 1 000 young kids who are at the more serious end of medical conditions go through that ward each year. When we went into the ward, we saw three children who had had cardiac surgery two days earlier, a child with a brain tumour and some children with spinal injuries, chronic severe head injuries and the like. Ward 5A has been significantly upgraded. It is a major step forward for PMH and the way we look after our patients. The upgrading of that ward adds to a number of significant investments by this government since we have been in office, including $30 million to reduce the waitlist for surgery, more than $30 million for the patient assisted travel scheme, similar amounts for the Royal Flying Doctor Service and $84 million to organisations such as Silver Chain that provide care in the home. This government has made a significant investment in health in this state. On top of that we have invested considerable funds in the regional areas, particularly the Pilbara. This government is committed to significantly upgrading health standards in the state, and I think this ward is an excellent example of that.
I thank the local member for the question. Members will have noted the chastisement in the question. I apologise to the member for not informing him that I was in his electorate. I explain to the member that the visit was scheduled to occur a few days later, either today or tomorrow. The event was brought forward to Sunday. Unfortunately, he was not notified of that. Nevertheless, it was a fantastic event. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : The moustache might have frightened some of the children. I reckon I have caught the Leader of the Opposition already, and I started nine days behind. Members would have seen the picture of the little girl wearing a beanie in The West Australian . I thank The West for publishing that picture and the two television channels that acceded to my request to run a story on her on the TV that night. She has a brain tumour behind her right eye. She was about to have surgery the next day. We spent $1.9 million on a major upgrade to the ward. More than 1 000 young kids who are at the more serious end of medical conditions go through that ward each year. When we went into the ward, we saw three children who had had cardiac surgery two days earlier, a child with a brain tumour and some children with spinal injuries, chronic severe head injuries and the like. Ward 5A has been significantly upgraded. It is a major step forward for PMH and the way we look after our patients. The upgrading of that ward adds to a number of significant investments by this government since we have been in office, including $30 million to reduce the waitlist for surgery, more than $30 million for the patient assisted travel scheme, similar amounts for the Royal Flying Doctor Service and $84 million to organisations such as Silver Chain that provide care in the home. This government has made a significant investment in health in this state. On top of that we have invested considerable funds in the regional areas, particularly the Pilbara. This government is committed to significantly upgrading health standards in the state, and I think this ward is an excellent example of that.
Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : The moustache might have frightened some of the children. I reckon I have caught the Leader of the Opposition already, and I started nine days behind. Members would have seen the picture of the little girl wearing a beanie in The West Australian . I thank The West for publishing that picture and the two television channels that acceded to my request to run a story on her on the TV that night. She has a brain tumour behind her right eye. She was about to have surgery the next day. We spent $1.9 million on a major upgrade to the ward. More than 1 000 young kids who are at the more serious end of medical conditions go through that ward each year. When we went into the ward, we saw three children who had had cardiac surgery two days earlier, a child with a brain tumour and some children with spinal injuries, chronic severe head injuries and the like. Ward 5A has been significantly upgraded. It is a major step forward for PMH and the way we look after our patients. The upgrading of that ward adds to a number of significant investments by this government since we have been in office, including $30 million to reduce the waitlist for surgery, more than $30 million for the patient assisted travel scheme, similar amounts for the Royal Flying Doctor Service and $84 million to organisations such as Silver Chain that provide care in the home. This government has made a significant investment in health in this state. On top of that we have invested considerable funds in the regional areas, particularly the Pilbara. This government is committed to significantly upgrading health standards in the state, and I think this ward is an excellent example of that.
Dr K.D. HAMES : The moustache might have frightened some of the children. I reckon I have caught the Leader of the Opposition already, and I started nine days behind. Members would have seen the picture of the little girl wearing a beanie in The West Australian . I thank The West for publishing that picture and the two television channels that acceded to my request to run a story on her on the TV that night. She has a brain tumour behind her right eye. She was about to have surgery the next day. We spent $1.9 million on a major upgrade to the ward. More than 1 000 young kids who are at the more serious end of medical conditions go through that ward each year. When we went into the ward, we saw three children who had had cardiac surgery two days earlier, a child with a brain tumour and some children with spinal injuries, chronic severe head injuries and the like. Ward 5A has been significantly upgraded. It is a major step forward for PMH and the way we look after our patients. The upgrading of that ward adds to a number of significant investments by this government since we have been in office, including $30 million to reduce the waitlist for surgery, more than $30 million for the patient assisted travel scheme, similar amounts for the Royal Flying Doctor Service and $84 million to organisations such as Silver Chain that provide care in the home. This government has made a significant investment in health in this state. On top of that we have invested considerable funds in the regional areas, particularly the Pilbara. This government is committed to significantly upgrading health standards in the state, and I think this ward is an excellent example of that.
Members would have seen the picture of the little girl wearing a beanie in The West Australian . I thank The West for publishing that picture and the two television channels that acceded to my request to run a story on her on the TV that night. She has a brain tumour behind her right eye. She was about to have surgery the next day. We spent $1.9 million on a major upgrade to the ward. More than 1 000 young kids who are at the more serious end of medical conditions go through that ward each year. When we went into the ward, we saw three children who had had cardiac surgery two days earlier, a child with a brain tumour and some children with spinal injuries, chronic severe head injuries and the like. Ward 5A has been significantly upgraded. It is a major step forward for PMH and the way we look after our patients. The upgrading of that ward adds to a number of significant investments by this government since we have been in office, including $30 million to reduce the waitlist for surgery, more than $30 million for the patient assisted travel scheme, similar amounts for the Royal Flying Doctor Service and $84 million to organisations such as Silver Chain that provide care in the home. This government has made a significant investment in health in this state. On top of that we have invested considerable funds in the regional areas, particularly the Pilbara. This government is committed to significantly upgrading health standards in the state, and I think this ward is an excellent example of that.
We spent $1.9 million on a major upgrade to the ward. More than 1 000 young kids who are at the more serious end of medical conditions go through that ward each year. When we went into the ward, we saw three children who had had cardiac surgery two days earlier, a child with a brain tumour and some children with spinal injuries, chronic severe head injuries and the like. Ward 5A has been significantly upgraded. It is a major step forward for PMH and the way we look after our patients. The upgrading of that ward adds to a number of significant investments by this government since we have been in office, including $30 million to reduce the waitlist for surgery, more than $30 million for the patient assisted travel scheme, similar amounts for the Royal Flying Doctor Service and $84 million to organisations such as Silver Chain that provide care in the home. This government has made a significant investment in health in this state. On top of that we have invested considerable funds in the regional areas, particularly the Pilbara. This government is committed to significantly upgrading health standards in the state, and I think this ward is an excellent example of that.
The upgrading of that ward adds to a number of significant investments by this government since we have been in office, including $30 million to reduce the waitlist for surgery, more than $30 million for the patient assisted travel scheme, similar amounts for the Royal Flying Doctor Service and $84 million to organisations such as Silver Chain that provide care in the home. This government has made a significant investment in health in this state. On top of that we have invested considerable funds in the regional areas, particularly the Pilbara. This government is committed to significantly upgrading health standards in the state, and I think this ward is an excellent example of that.

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