❓ Mr. Cook questions the Minister for Health on ambulance ramping, citing a significant increase since 2005 and suggesting a crisis. The Minister refutes this, highlighting improvements in off-stretcher times compared to the previous Labor government.
AnsweredQoN 923Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
HOSPITALS — AMBULANCE RAMPING
923. Mr R.H. COOK to the Minister for
Health:
I have a supplementary question. In
2005, the minister described 180 hours of ramping over a 10-month period as a
system in crisis. There have been more than 10 300 hours in this year of
ambulance ramping. If that is not a crisis, what is?
923. Mr R.H. COOK to the Minister for
Health:
I have a supplementary question. In
2005, the minister described 180 hours of ramping over a 10-month period as a
system in crisis. There have been more than 10 300 hours in this year of
ambulance ramping. If that is not a crisis, what is?
AnswerView source ↗
It is not a crisis because our
eight-hour rule is still far less than it was under the former Labor
government.
Mr
R.H. Cook interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana!
Dr
K.D. HAMES : We started about two years ago doing a different graph, which
was a 20-minute off-stretcher graph, as well.
Mr R.H. Cook interjected.
Dr K.D. HAMES : No,
we have done it as well. The length of time for which patients sit when they
get off the ambulance and into the waiting area is important.
Several members interjected.
Dr K.D. HAMES : No,
they do not sit out in the ambulance, as the member for Kwinana was trying to
say. He was proven wrong on that. He was not telling the truth once again. The
20-minute off-stretcher time on the graph has been steady. Although ambulance
ramping is getting worse, the off-stretcher in 20 minutes rule has been stable
for the past two years. The reason is that although patients have been sitting
waiting for that period of time, they are still flowing through into the
emergency department.
eight-hour rule is still far less than it was under the former Labor
government.
Mr
R.H. Cook interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana!
Dr
K.D. HAMES : We started about two years ago doing a different graph, which
was a 20-minute off-stretcher graph, as well.
Mr R.H. Cook interjected.
Dr K.D. HAMES : No,
we have done it as well. The length of time for which patients sit when they
get off the ambulance and into the waiting area is important.
Several members interjected.
Dr K.D. HAMES : No,
they do not sit out in the ambulance, as the member for Kwinana was trying to
say. He was proven wrong on that. He was not telling the truth once again. The
20-minute off-stretcher time on the graph has been steady. Although ambulance
ramping is getting worse, the off-stretcher in 20 minutes rule has been stable
for the past two years. The reason is that although patients have been sitting
waiting for that period of time, they are still flowing through into the
emergency department.
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