❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice addresses the closure of the Well Women's Clinic in Kojonup, questioning the justification and seeking reinstatement of funding. The Minister defends the decision based on duplication of services with the RFDS and reallocation of funds to higher priority areas.
AnsweredQoN 420Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the minister’s decision to close, without consultation, the Well Women’s Clinic in Kojonup. This preventive health care clinic for women had operated for 14 years, enjoyed widespread community support and screened 171 women a year, but was scrapped to save money and avoid a supposed duplication of services provided by the federal Royal Flying Doctor Service visiting female general practitioner scheme. (1) How much will be saved each year by closing this Well Women’s Clinic? (2) Is the minister aware that the visiting GP, who provided the supposed duplication of services, supported the retention of the Well Women’s Clinic and advised that the two services complemented, not duplicated, each other? (3) Will the minister confirm that the Department of Health has not bothered to meet with the visiting GP on this matter? (4) What justification does the minister have for closing this successful service, which accounted for more than 60 per cent of the annual screenings of women in the Kojonup area and which led to the department acknowledging that women in this area were well screened compared with the state average? (5) Will the minister reinstate funding for the Kojonup Well Women’s Clinic? Mr J.A. McGINTY
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(5) This decision was taken and implemented in August last year, almost a year ago. I make the point that well women’s clinics are provided in towns where female general practitioners are not available to provide for the needs of the local female population. The Commonwealth Government had specifically funded the Royal Flying Doctor Service to provide a visiting female general practitioner service to Kojonup under the rural women’s initiative. There was, therefore, a duplication of services in Kojonup in that a service was provided by the RFDS and a service was funded by the Department of Health. When this decision was taken nearly 12 months ago, we sought to do away with services in areas where there was a duplication and to allocate the money to areas of greater priority in the health budget, such as opening extra beds and emergency departments - which are operating very well at the moment, although they are under significant pressure - rather than simply continue to duplicate services that were provided. The commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing has confirmed that the arrangements under which it provides funding to the RFDS require the female GP to see all women who make an appointment with her. I confirm that contact has been made with the local female GP concerned by the Kojonup District Hospital director of nursing and health service manager, who is responsible for the management of the service. The resident GP and the visiting female GP have both indicated their willingness to work collaboratively to provide services to women in the district. The rate of screening across age groups and within ethnic groupings has not been even. The great southern population health unit is working on improving the client participation rate. The visiting female GP service is held more frequently than the Well Women’s Clinic was, and now provides 20 days of service a year compared with the six days previously provided by the Well Women’s Clinic. We were determined to make sure that female services were provided by female general practitioners to the women of the Kojonup region. As can be seen, the Well Women’s Clinic has been replaced by a service that provides more than three and almost four times as much access to female GPs in the area than was previously provided.
(1) How much will be saved each year by closing this Well Women’s Clinic? (2) Is the minister aware that the visiting GP, who provided the supposed duplication of services, supported the retention of the Well Women’s Clinic and advised that the two services complemented, not duplicated, each other? (3) Will the minister confirm that the Department of Health has not bothered to meet with the visiting GP on this matter? (4) What justification does the minister have for closing this successful service, which accounted for more than 60 per cent of the annual screenings of women in the Kojonup area and which led to the department acknowledging that women in this area were well screened compared with the state average? (5) Will the minister reinstate funding for the Kojonup Well Women’s Clinic? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(5) This decision was taken and implemented in August last year, almost a year ago. I make the point that well women’s clinics are provided in towns where female general practitioners are not available to provide for the needs of the local female population. The Commonwealth Government had specifically funded the Royal Flying Doctor Service to provide a visiting female general practitioner service to Kojonup under the rural women’s initiative. There was, therefore, a duplication of services in Kojonup in that a service was provided by the RFDS and a service was funded by the Department of Health. When this decision was taken nearly 12 months ago, we sought to do away with services in areas where there was a duplication and to allocate the money to areas of greater priority in the health budget, such as opening extra beds and emergency departments - which are operating very well at the moment, although they are under significant pressure - rather than simply continue to duplicate services that were provided. The commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing has confirmed that the arrangements under which it provides funding to the RFDS require the female GP to see all women who make an appointment with her. I confirm that contact has been made with the local female GP concerned by the Kojonup District Hospital director of nursing and health service manager, who is responsible for the management of the service. The resident GP and the visiting female GP have both indicated their willingness to work collaboratively to provide services to women in the district. The rate of screening across age groups and within ethnic groupings has not been even. The great southern population health unit is working on improving the client participation rate. The visiting female GP service is held more frequently than the Well Women’s Clinic was, and now provides 20 days of service a year compared with the six days previously provided by the Well Women’s Clinic. We were determined to make sure that female services were provided by female general practitioners to the women of the Kojonup region. As can be seen, the Well Women’s Clinic has been replaced by a service that provides more than three and almost four times as much access to female GPs in the area than was previously provided.
(2) Is the minister aware that the visiting GP, who provided the supposed duplication of services, supported the retention of the Well Women’s Clinic and advised that the two services complemented, not duplicated, each other? (3) Will the minister confirm that the Department of Health has not bothered to meet with the visiting GP on this matter? (4) What justification does the minister have for closing this successful service, which accounted for more than 60 per cent of the annual screenings of women in the Kojonup area and which led to the department acknowledging that women in this area were well screened compared with the state average? (5) Will the minister reinstate funding for the Kojonup Well Women’s Clinic? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(5) This decision was taken and implemented in August last year, almost a year ago. I make the point that well women’s clinics are provided in towns where female general practitioners are not available to provide for the needs of the local female population. The Commonwealth Government had specifically funded the Royal Flying Doctor Service to provide a visiting female general practitioner service to Kojonup under the rural women’s initiative. There was, therefore, a duplication of services in Kojonup in that a service was provided by the RFDS and a service was funded by the Department of Health. When this decision was taken nearly 12 months ago, we sought to do away with services in areas where there was a duplication and to allocate the money to areas of greater priority in the health budget, such as opening extra beds and emergency departments - which are operating very well at the moment, although they are under significant pressure - rather than simply continue to duplicate services that were provided. The commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing has confirmed that the arrangements under which it provides funding to the RFDS require the female GP to see all women who make an appointment with her. I confirm that contact has been made with the local female GP concerned by the Kojonup District Hospital director of nursing and health service manager, who is responsible for the management of the service. The resident GP and the visiting female GP have both indicated their willingness to work collaboratively to provide services to women in the district. The rate of screening across age groups and within ethnic groupings has not been even. The great southern population health unit is working on improving the client participation rate. The visiting female GP service is held more frequently than the Well Women’s Clinic was, and now provides 20 days of service a year compared with the six days previously provided by the Well Women’s Clinic. We were determined to make sure that female services were provided by female general practitioners to the women of the Kojonup region. As can be seen, the Well Women’s Clinic has been replaced by a service that provides more than three and almost four times as much access to female GPs in the area than was previously provided.
(3) Will the minister confirm that the Department of Health has not bothered to meet with the visiting GP on this matter? (4) What justification does the minister have for closing this successful service, which accounted for more than 60 per cent of the annual screenings of women in the Kojonup area and which led to the department acknowledging that women in this area were well screened compared with the state average? (5) Will the minister reinstate funding for the Kojonup Well Women’s Clinic? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(5) This decision was taken and implemented in August last year, almost a year ago. I make the point that well women’s clinics are provided in towns where female general practitioners are not available to provide for the needs of the local female population. The Commonwealth Government had specifically funded the Royal Flying Doctor Service to provide a visiting female general practitioner service to Kojonup under the rural women’s initiative. There was, therefore, a duplication of services in Kojonup in that a service was provided by the RFDS and a service was funded by the Department of Health. When this decision was taken nearly 12 months ago, we sought to do away with services in areas where there was a duplication and to allocate the money to areas of greater priority in the health budget, such as opening extra beds and emergency departments - which are operating very well at the moment, although they are under significant pressure - rather than simply continue to duplicate services that were provided. The commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing has confirmed that the arrangements under which it provides funding to the RFDS require the female GP to see all women who make an appointment with her. I confirm that contact has been made with the local female GP concerned by the Kojonup District Hospital director of nursing and health service manager, who is responsible for the management of the service. The resident GP and the visiting female GP have both indicated their willingness to work collaboratively to provide services to women in the district. The rate of screening across age groups and within ethnic groupings has not been even. The great southern population health unit is working on improving the client participation rate. The visiting female GP service is held more frequently than the Well Women’s Clinic was, and now provides 20 days of service a year compared with the six days previously provided by the Well Women’s Clinic. We were determined to make sure that female services were provided by female general practitioners to the women of the Kojonup region. As can be seen, the Well Women’s Clinic has been replaced by a service that provides more than three and almost four times as much access to female GPs in the area than was previously provided.
(4) What justification does the minister have for closing this successful service, which accounted for more than 60 per cent of the annual screenings of women in the Kojonup area and which led to the department acknowledging that women in this area were well screened compared with the state average? (5) Will the minister reinstate funding for the Kojonup Well Women’s Clinic? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(5) This decision was taken and implemented in August last year, almost a year ago. I make the point that well women’s clinics are provided in towns where female general practitioners are not available to provide for the needs of the local female population. The Commonwealth Government had specifically funded the Royal Flying Doctor Service to provide a visiting female general practitioner service to Kojonup under the rural women’s initiative. There was, therefore, a duplication of services in Kojonup in that a service was provided by the RFDS and a service was funded by the Department of Health. When this decision was taken nearly 12 months ago, we sought to do away with services in areas where there was a duplication and to allocate the money to areas of greater priority in the health budget, such as opening extra beds and emergency departments - which are operating very well at the moment, although they are under significant pressure - rather than simply continue to duplicate services that were provided. The commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing has confirmed that the arrangements under which it provides funding to the RFDS require the female GP to see all women who make an appointment with her. I confirm that contact has been made with the local female GP concerned by the Kojonup District Hospital director of nursing and health service manager, who is responsible for the management of the service. The resident GP and the visiting female GP have both indicated their willingness to work collaboratively to provide services to women in the district. The rate of screening across age groups and within ethnic groupings has not been even. The great southern population health unit is working on improving the client participation rate. The visiting female GP service is held more frequently than the Well Women’s Clinic was, and now provides 20 days of service a year compared with the six days previously provided by the Well Women’s Clinic. We were determined to make sure that female services were provided by female general practitioners to the women of the Kojonup region. As can be seen, the Well Women’s Clinic has been replaced by a service that provides more than three and almost four times as much access to female GPs in the area than was previously provided.
(5) Will the minister reinstate funding for the Kojonup Well Women’s Clinic? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(5) This decision was taken and implemented in August last year, almost a year ago. I make the point that well women’s clinics are provided in towns where female general practitioners are not available to provide for the needs of the local female population. The Commonwealth Government had specifically funded the Royal Flying Doctor Service to provide a visiting female general practitioner service to Kojonup under the rural women’s initiative. There was, therefore, a duplication of services in Kojonup in that a service was provided by the RFDS and a service was funded by the Department of Health. When this decision was taken nearly 12 months ago, we sought to do away with services in areas where there was a duplication and to allocate the money to areas of greater priority in the health budget, such as opening extra beds and emergency departments - which are operating very well at the moment, although they are under significant pressure - rather than simply continue to duplicate services that were provided. The commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing has confirmed that the arrangements under which it provides funding to the RFDS require the female GP to see all women who make an appointment with her. I confirm that contact has been made with the local female GP concerned by the Kojonup District Hospital director of nursing and health service manager, who is responsible for the management of the service. The resident GP and the visiting female GP have both indicated their willingness to work collaboratively to provide services to women in the district. The rate of screening across age groups and within ethnic groupings has not been even. The great southern population health unit is working on improving the client participation rate. The visiting female GP service is held more frequently than the Well Women’s Clinic was, and now provides 20 days of service a year compared with the six days previously provided by the Well Women’s Clinic. We were determined to make sure that female services were provided by female general practitioners to the women of the Kojonup region. As can be seen, the Well Women’s Clinic has been replaced by a service that provides more than three and almost four times as much access to female GPs in the area than was previously provided.
Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(5) This decision was taken and implemented in August last year, almost a year ago. I make the point that well women’s clinics are provided in towns where female general practitioners are not available to provide for the needs of the local female population. The Commonwealth Government had specifically funded the Royal Flying Doctor Service to provide a visiting female general practitioner service to Kojonup under the rural women’s initiative. There was, therefore, a duplication of services in Kojonup in that a service was provided by the RFDS and a service was funded by the Department of Health. When this decision was taken nearly 12 months ago, we sought to do away with services in areas where there was a duplication and to allocate the money to areas of greater priority in the health budget, such as opening extra beds and emergency departments - which are operating very well at the moment, although they are under significant pressure - rather than simply continue to duplicate services that were provided. The commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing has confirmed that the arrangements under which it provides funding to the RFDS require the female GP to see all women who make an appointment with her. I confirm that contact has been made with the local female GP concerned by the Kojonup District Hospital director of nursing and health service manager, who is responsible for the management of the service. The resident GP and the visiting female GP have both indicated their willingness to work collaboratively to provide services to women in the district. The rate of screening across age groups and within ethnic groupings has not been even. The great southern population health unit is working on improving the client participation rate. The visiting female GP service is held more frequently than the Well Women’s Clinic was, and now provides 20 days of service a year compared with the six days previously provided by the Well Women’s Clinic. We were determined to make sure that female services were provided by female general practitioners to the women of the Kojonup region. As can be seen, the Well Women’s Clinic has been replaced by a service that provides more than three and almost four times as much access to female GPs in the area than was previously provided.
(1)-(5) This decision was taken and implemented in August last year, almost a year ago. I make the point that well women’s clinics are provided in towns where female general practitioners are not available to provide for the needs of the local female population. The Commonwealth Government had specifically funded the Royal Flying Doctor Service to provide a visiting female general practitioner service to Kojonup under the rural women’s initiative. There was, therefore, a duplication of services in Kojonup in that a service was provided by the RFDS and a service was funded by the Department of Health. When this decision was taken nearly 12 months ago, we sought to do away with services in areas where there was a duplication and to allocate the money to areas of greater priority in the health budget, such as opening extra beds and emergency departments - which are operating very well at the moment, although they are under significant pressure - rather than simply continue to duplicate services that were provided. The commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing has confirmed that the arrangements under which it provides funding to the RFDS require the female GP to see all women who make an appointment with her. I confirm that contact has been made with the local female GP concerned by the Kojonup District Hospital director of nursing and health service manager, who is responsible for the management of the service. The resident GP and the visiting female GP have both indicated their willingness to work collaboratively to provide services to women in the district. The rate of screening across age groups and within ethnic groupings has not been even. The great southern population health unit is working on improving the client participation rate. The visiting female GP service is held more frequently than the Well Women’s Clinic was, and now provides 20 days of service a year compared with the six days previously provided by the Well Women’s Clinic. We were determined to make sure that female services were provided by female general practitioners to the women of the Kojonup region. As can be seen, the Well Women’s Clinic has been replaced by a service that provides more than three and almost four times as much access to female GPs in the area than was previously provided.
(1) How much will be saved each year by closing this Well Women’s Clinic? (2) Is the minister aware that the visiting GP, who provided the supposed duplication of services, supported the retention of the Well Women’s Clinic and advised that the two services complemented, not duplicated, each other? (3) Will the minister confirm that the Department of Health has not bothered to meet with the visiting GP on this matter? (4) What justification does the minister have for closing this successful service, which accounted for more than 60 per cent of the annual screenings of women in the Kojonup area and which led to the department acknowledging that women in this area were well screened compared with the state average? (5) Will the minister reinstate funding for the Kojonup Well Women’s Clinic? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(5) This decision was taken and implemented in August last year, almost a year ago. I make the point that well women’s clinics are provided in towns where female general practitioners are not available to provide for the needs of the local female population. The Commonwealth Government had specifically funded the Royal Flying Doctor Service to provide a visiting female general practitioner service to Kojonup under the rural women’s initiative. There was, therefore, a duplication of services in Kojonup in that a service was provided by the RFDS and a service was funded by the Department of Health. When this decision was taken nearly 12 months ago, we sought to do away with services in areas where there was a duplication and to allocate the money to areas of greater priority in the health budget, such as opening extra beds and emergency departments - which are operating very well at the moment, although they are under significant pressure - rather than simply continue to duplicate services that were provided. The commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing has confirmed that the arrangements under which it provides funding to the RFDS require the female GP to see all women who make an appointment with her. I confirm that contact has been made with the local female GP concerned by the Kojonup District Hospital director of nursing and health service manager, who is responsible for the management of the service. The resident GP and the visiting female GP have both indicated their willingness to work collaboratively to provide services to women in the district. The rate of screening across age groups and within ethnic groupings has not been even. The great southern population health unit is working on improving the client participation rate. The visiting female GP service is held more frequently than the Well Women’s Clinic was, and now provides 20 days of service a year compared with the six days previously provided by the Well Women’s Clinic. We were determined to make sure that female services were provided by female general practitioners to the women of the Kojonup region. As can be seen, the Well Women’s Clinic has been replaced by a service that provides more than three and almost four times as much access to female GPs in the area than was previously provided.
(2) Is the minister aware that the visiting GP, who provided the supposed duplication of services, supported the retention of the Well Women’s Clinic and advised that the two services complemented, not duplicated, each other? (3) Will the minister confirm that the Department of Health has not bothered to meet with the visiting GP on this matter? (4) What justification does the minister have for closing this successful service, which accounted for more than 60 per cent of the annual screenings of women in the Kojonup area and which led to the department acknowledging that women in this area were well screened compared with the state average? (5) Will the minister reinstate funding for the Kojonup Well Women’s Clinic? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(5) This decision was taken and implemented in August last year, almost a year ago. I make the point that well women’s clinics are provided in towns where female general practitioners are not available to provide for the needs of the local female population. The Commonwealth Government had specifically funded the Royal Flying Doctor Service to provide a visiting female general practitioner service to Kojonup under the rural women’s initiative. There was, therefore, a duplication of services in Kojonup in that a service was provided by the RFDS and a service was funded by the Department of Health. When this decision was taken nearly 12 months ago, we sought to do away with services in areas where there was a duplication and to allocate the money to areas of greater priority in the health budget, such as opening extra beds and emergency departments - which are operating very well at the moment, although they are under significant pressure - rather than simply continue to duplicate services that were provided. The commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing has confirmed that the arrangements under which it provides funding to the RFDS require the female GP to see all women who make an appointment with her. I confirm that contact has been made with the local female GP concerned by the Kojonup District Hospital director of nursing and health service manager, who is responsible for the management of the service. The resident GP and the visiting female GP have both indicated their willingness to work collaboratively to provide services to women in the district. The rate of screening across age groups and within ethnic groupings has not been even. The great southern population health unit is working on improving the client participation rate. The visiting female GP service is held more frequently than the Well Women’s Clinic was, and now provides 20 days of service a year compared with the six days previously provided by the Well Women’s Clinic. We were determined to make sure that female services were provided by female general practitioners to the women of the Kojonup region. As can be seen, the Well Women’s Clinic has been replaced by a service that provides more than three and almost four times as much access to female GPs in the area than was previously provided.
(3) Will the minister confirm that the Department of Health has not bothered to meet with the visiting GP on this matter? (4) What justification does the minister have for closing this successful service, which accounted for more than 60 per cent of the annual screenings of women in the Kojonup area and which led to the department acknowledging that women in this area were well screened compared with the state average? (5) Will the minister reinstate funding for the Kojonup Well Women’s Clinic? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(5) This decision was taken and implemented in August last year, almost a year ago. I make the point that well women’s clinics are provided in towns where female general practitioners are not available to provide for the needs of the local female population. The Commonwealth Government had specifically funded the Royal Flying Doctor Service to provide a visiting female general practitioner service to Kojonup under the rural women’s initiative. There was, therefore, a duplication of services in Kojonup in that a service was provided by the RFDS and a service was funded by the Department of Health. When this decision was taken nearly 12 months ago, we sought to do away with services in areas where there was a duplication and to allocate the money to areas of greater priority in the health budget, such as opening extra beds and emergency departments - which are operating very well at the moment, although they are under significant pressure - rather than simply continue to duplicate services that were provided. The commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing has confirmed that the arrangements under which it provides funding to the RFDS require the female GP to see all women who make an appointment with her. I confirm that contact has been made with the local female GP concerned by the Kojonup District Hospital director of nursing and health service manager, who is responsible for the management of the service. The resident GP and the visiting female GP have both indicated their willingness to work collaboratively to provide services to women in the district. The rate of screening across age groups and within ethnic groupings has not been even. The great southern population health unit is working on improving the client participation rate. The visiting female GP service is held more frequently than the Well Women’s Clinic was, and now provides 20 days of service a year compared with the six days previously provided by the Well Women’s Clinic. We were determined to make sure that female services were provided by female general practitioners to the women of the Kojonup region. As can be seen, the Well Women’s Clinic has been replaced by a service that provides more than three and almost four times as much access to female GPs in the area than was previously provided.
(4) What justification does the minister have for closing this successful service, which accounted for more than 60 per cent of the annual screenings of women in the Kojonup area and which led to the department acknowledging that women in this area were well screened compared with the state average? (5) Will the minister reinstate funding for the Kojonup Well Women’s Clinic? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(5) This decision was taken and implemented in August last year, almost a year ago. I make the point that well women’s clinics are provided in towns where female general practitioners are not available to provide for the needs of the local female population. The Commonwealth Government had specifically funded the Royal Flying Doctor Service to provide a visiting female general practitioner service to Kojonup under the rural women’s initiative. There was, therefore, a duplication of services in Kojonup in that a service was provided by the RFDS and a service was funded by the Department of Health. When this decision was taken nearly 12 months ago, we sought to do away with services in areas where there was a duplication and to allocate the money to areas of greater priority in the health budget, such as opening extra beds and emergency departments - which are operating very well at the moment, although they are under significant pressure - rather than simply continue to duplicate services that were provided. The commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing has confirmed that the arrangements under which it provides funding to the RFDS require the female GP to see all women who make an appointment with her. I confirm that contact has been made with the local female GP concerned by the Kojonup District Hospital director of nursing and health service manager, who is responsible for the management of the service. The resident GP and the visiting female GP have both indicated their willingness to work collaboratively to provide services to women in the district. The rate of screening across age groups and within ethnic groupings has not been even. The great southern population health unit is working on improving the client participation rate. The visiting female GP service is held more frequently than the Well Women’s Clinic was, and now provides 20 days of service a year compared with the six days previously provided by the Well Women’s Clinic. We were determined to make sure that female services were provided by female general practitioners to the women of the Kojonup region. As can be seen, the Well Women’s Clinic has been replaced by a service that provides more than three and almost four times as much access to female GPs in the area than was previously provided.
(5) Will the minister reinstate funding for the Kojonup Well Women’s Clinic? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(5) This decision was taken and implemented in August last year, almost a year ago. I make the point that well women’s clinics are provided in towns where female general practitioners are not available to provide for the needs of the local female population. The Commonwealth Government had specifically funded the Royal Flying Doctor Service to provide a visiting female general practitioner service to Kojonup under the rural women’s initiative. There was, therefore, a duplication of services in Kojonup in that a service was provided by the RFDS and a service was funded by the Department of Health. When this decision was taken nearly 12 months ago, we sought to do away with services in areas where there was a duplication and to allocate the money to areas of greater priority in the health budget, such as opening extra beds and emergency departments - which are operating very well at the moment, although they are under significant pressure - rather than simply continue to duplicate services that were provided. The commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing has confirmed that the arrangements under which it provides funding to the RFDS require the female GP to see all women who make an appointment with her. I confirm that contact has been made with the local female GP concerned by the Kojonup District Hospital director of nursing and health service manager, who is responsible for the management of the service. The resident GP and the visiting female GP have both indicated their willingness to work collaboratively to provide services to women in the district. The rate of screening across age groups and within ethnic groupings has not been even. The great southern population health unit is working on improving the client participation rate. The visiting female GP service is held more frequently than the Well Women’s Clinic was, and now provides 20 days of service a year compared with the six days previously provided by the Well Women’s Clinic. We were determined to make sure that female services were provided by female general practitioners to the women of the Kojonup region. As can be seen, the Well Women’s Clinic has been replaced by a service that provides more than three and almost four times as much access to female GPs in the area than was previously provided.
Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(5) This decision was taken and implemented in August last year, almost a year ago. I make the point that well women’s clinics are provided in towns where female general practitioners are not available to provide for the needs of the local female population. The Commonwealth Government had specifically funded the Royal Flying Doctor Service to provide a visiting female general practitioner service to Kojonup under the rural women’s initiative. There was, therefore, a duplication of services in Kojonup in that a service was provided by the RFDS and a service was funded by the Department of Health. When this decision was taken nearly 12 months ago, we sought to do away with services in areas where there was a duplication and to allocate the money to areas of greater priority in the health budget, such as opening extra beds and emergency departments - which are operating very well at the moment, although they are under significant pressure - rather than simply continue to duplicate services that were provided. The commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing has confirmed that the arrangements under which it provides funding to the RFDS require the female GP to see all women who make an appointment with her. I confirm that contact has been made with the local female GP concerned by the Kojonup District Hospital director of nursing and health service manager, who is responsible for the management of the service. The resident GP and the visiting female GP have both indicated their willingness to work collaboratively to provide services to women in the district. The rate of screening across age groups and within ethnic groupings has not been even. The great southern population health unit is working on improving the client participation rate. The visiting female GP service is held more frequently than the Well Women’s Clinic was, and now provides 20 days of service a year compared with the six days previously provided by the Well Women’s Clinic. We were determined to make sure that female services were provided by female general practitioners to the women of the Kojonup region. As can be seen, the Well Women’s Clinic has been replaced by a service that provides more than three and almost four times as much access to female GPs in the area than was previously provided.
(1)-(5) This decision was taken and implemented in August last year, almost a year ago. I make the point that well women’s clinics are provided in towns where female general practitioners are not available to provide for the needs of the local female population. The Commonwealth Government had specifically funded the Royal Flying Doctor Service to provide a visiting female general practitioner service to Kojonup under the rural women’s initiative. There was, therefore, a duplication of services in Kojonup in that a service was provided by the RFDS and a service was funded by the Department of Health. When this decision was taken nearly 12 months ago, we sought to do away with services in areas where there was a duplication and to allocate the money to areas of greater priority in the health budget, such as opening extra beds and emergency departments - which are operating very well at the moment, although they are under significant pressure - rather than simply continue to duplicate services that were provided. The commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing has confirmed that the arrangements under which it provides funding to the RFDS require the female GP to see all women who make an appointment with her. I confirm that contact has been made with the local female GP concerned by the Kojonup District Hospital director of nursing and health service manager, who is responsible for the management of the service. The resident GP and the visiting female GP have both indicated their willingness to work collaboratively to provide services to women in the district. The rate of screening across age groups and within ethnic groupings has not been even. The great southern population health unit is working on improving the client participation rate. The visiting female GP service is held more frequently than the Well Women’s Clinic was, and now provides 20 days of service a year compared with the six days previously provided by the Well Women’s Clinic. We were determined to make sure that female services were provided by female general practitioners to the women of the Kojonup region. As can be seen, the Well Women’s Clinic has been replaced by a service that provides more than three and almost four times as much access to female GPs in the area than was previously provided.
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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.