❓ Opposition MP L'Estrange questions the Minister for Health, Cook, about a significant increase in ambulance ramping, referencing the Minister's previous concerns when in opposition. Cook responds by attributing the increase to an unprecedented influenza season and defends the government's handling of the situation.
AnsweredQoN 418Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
HEALTH SERVICES —
AMBULANCE RAMPING
418. Mr S.K. L'ESTRANGE to the Minister for Health:
I refer to the minister's
concerns about ambulance ramping, which were raised when he was in opposition.
He was particularly concerned about one month when there was 735.5 hours of
ramping, and he said that we needed proper resources and a government that
cares, and we needed to make sure that WA patients receive the sort of
attention and care that they need in our emergency departments.
Ambulance ramping in Western Australia's
hospitals this May was 2 743 hours, a 273 per cent increase, and almost four
times the number of hours that the minister identified as requiring proper
resources. What additional resources is the minister providing to fix this
problem?
AMBULANCE RAMPING
418. Mr S.K. L'ESTRANGE to the Minister for Health:
I refer to the minister's
concerns about ambulance ramping, which were raised when he was in opposition.
He was particularly concerned about one month when there was 735.5 hours of
ramping, and he said that we needed proper resources and a government that
cares, and we needed to make sure that WA patients receive the sort of
attention and care that they need in our emergency departments.
Ambulance ramping in Western Australia's
hospitals this May was 2 743 hours, a 273 per cent increase, and almost four
times the number of hours that the minister identified as requiring proper
resources. What additional resources is the minister providing to fix this
problem?
AnswerView source ↗
I am not sure which rock the member
for Churchlands has been hiding under for the last few weeks, but if he had
kept his ears open, he would have heard, like everyone else in the Western Australian
community, that we are suffering from an unprecedented level of influenza. What
does he not get?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr D.T. Redman : I guess you
have a short-term memory.
The SPEAKER : Your short term
memory is wrong, member for Warren–Blackwood. I call you to order for
the first time, because I was on my feet.
Mr R.H. COOK : We have had
over 5 385 notifications of influenza this year—over 3 200 in May
alone. This is 10 times the amount that we would expect in May. This is the
highest month on record.
Mrs L.M. Harvey interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Scarborough, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr R.H. COOK : I remind the
member for Scarborough that we have had 15 deaths this year from influenza.
Here we see this mob scurrying in here,
trying to make some sort of political pointscoring out of the most severe flu
season!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, when I am
on my feet, no-one will speak.
Mr R.H. COOK : This is the
most severe flu season this state has experienced since records began in 2001.
Dr D.J. Honey interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Cottesloe, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr R.H. COOK : The most severe
influenza season in this state on record since records began in 2001.
Mrs L.M. Harvey interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Scarborough, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr R.H. COOK : We have
demanded that our hospitals bring forward their winter strategies for the flu
season. Our emergency departments —
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition, I gave you one warning. I call you to order for the first time. It
could be a long day.
Mr R.H. COOK : Despite the
fact that this year we have had a more than 11 per cent increase in
presentations in metropolitan emergency departments compared with the previous
year, our emergency departments continue to treat our patients under the
four-hour rule at above the 70 per cent rate. Over 70 per cent of patients are
seen, treated, discharged or admitted inside four hours. That is the best in
the country. I am proud of what our hospitals are doing. They have adapted to
the demands on their services as a result of this record flu season.
I remind the member for Churchlands
what his government's solution to ambulance ramping was.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Carine, I call you to order, and a little voice down there from the Attorney
General. I call you to order for the first time.
Mr R.H. COOK : I will keep
reminding the member for Carine about his attitude to ambulance ramping, which
was, ''We give up.'' That is what your minister said.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr
R.H. COOK : It is going to be a long
day, Mr Speaker. I see either the member for Scarborough or the member for
Churchlands—I am not sure which—has moved a motion today in the
matters of public interest. It is going to be a long afternoon for you—I
can let you know that much. We continue to treat over 70 per cent of patients
in our EDs within the four-hour rule. There has been a slight drop in our
off-stretcher times, but our EDs are coping really well. There is an increase
in ambulance ramping because we have the most severe flu season on record. Our
hospitals are doing an outstanding job, and it is much better than any efforts
members on the other side could have produced.
for Churchlands has been hiding under for the last few weeks, but if he had
kept his ears open, he would have heard, like everyone else in the Western Australian
community, that we are suffering from an unprecedented level of influenza. What
does he not get?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr D.T. Redman : I guess you
have a short-term memory.
The SPEAKER : Your short term
memory is wrong, member for Warren–Blackwood. I call you to order for
the first time, because I was on my feet.
Mr R.H. COOK : We have had
over 5 385 notifications of influenza this year—over 3 200 in May
alone. This is 10 times the amount that we would expect in May. This is the
highest month on record.
Mrs L.M. Harvey interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Scarborough, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr R.H. COOK : I remind the
member for Scarborough that we have had 15 deaths this year from influenza.
Here we see this mob scurrying in here,
trying to make some sort of political pointscoring out of the most severe flu
season!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, when I am
on my feet, no-one will speak.
Mr R.H. COOK : This is the
most severe flu season this state has experienced since records began in 2001.
Dr D.J. Honey interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Cottesloe, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr R.H. COOK : The most severe
influenza season in this state on record since records began in 2001.
Mrs L.M. Harvey interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Scarborough, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr R.H. COOK : We have
demanded that our hospitals bring forward their winter strategies for the flu
season. Our emergency departments —
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition, I gave you one warning. I call you to order for the first time. It
could be a long day.
Mr R.H. COOK : Despite the
fact that this year we have had a more than 11 per cent increase in
presentations in metropolitan emergency departments compared with the previous
year, our emergency departments continue to treat our patients under the
four-hour rule at above the 70 per cent rate. Over 70 per cent of patients are
seen, treated, discharged or admitted inside four hours. That is the best in
the country. I am proud of what our hospitals are doing. They have adapted to
the demands on their services as a result of this record flu season.
I remind the member for Churchlands
what his government's solution to ambulance ramping was.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Carine, I call you to order, and a little voice down there from the Attorney
General. I call you to order for the first time.
Mr R.H. COOK : I will keep
reminding the member for Carine about his attitude to ambulance ramping, which
was, ''We give up.'' That is what your minister said.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr
R.H. COOK : It is going to be a long
day, Mr Speaker. I see either the member for Scarborough or the member for
Churchlands—I am not sure which—has moved a motion today in the
matters of public interest. It is going to be a long afternoon for you—I
can let you know that much. We continue to treat over 70 per cent of patients
in our EDs within the four-hour rule. There has been a slight drop in our
off-stretcher times, but our EDs are coping really well. There is an increase
in ambulance ramping because we have the most severe flu season on record. Our
hospitals are doing an outstanding job, and it is much better than any efforts
members on the other side could have produced.
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