❓ Hon. Norman Moore questions the Minister for Health regarding funding for an MRI machine at Princess Margaret Hospital, specifically addressing requests to the Treasurer and Treasury. The Minister's response details funding sources and challenges with obtaining a Commonwealth Medicare license.
AnsweredQoN 300Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer the Minister to his reply to question on notice No. 229 in the Legislative Council, and ask -
(1) When was the first approach made to the Western Australian Treasurer, the Hon Eric Ripper, or the Western Australian State Treasury, by the Minister or his agencies to request additional funding to meet the operating costs in running an MRI machine at Princess Margaret Hospital?
(2) Were subsequent requests made to the State Treasurer or Treasury?
(3) If no such request(s) has (have) been made, why not given the Minister’s well publicised claims that he cannot find the money within his health budget allocation to pay for the operating costs of an MRI machine at PMH?
(4) Has the Minister found the funds within his budget to cover the MRI operating costs for the planned MRI at PMH?
(5) If not, has the Minister obtained any agreement with Western Australia’s Treasury or the Treasurer (Hon Eric Ripper) to fund the MRI operation at PMH?
(6) If not, how does the Minister plan to pay for the operating costs of PMH’s MRI machine when it is installed?
(1) When was the first approach made to the Western Australian Treasurer, the Hon Eric Ripper, or the Western Australian State Treasury, by the Minister or his agencies to request additional funding to meet the operating costs in running an MRI machine at Princess Margaret Hospital?
(2) Were subsequent requests made to the State Treasurer or Treasury?
(3) If no such request(s) has (have) been made, why not given the Minister’s well publicised claims that he cannot find the money within his health budget allocation to pay for the operating costs of an MRI machine at PMH?
(4) Has the Minister found the funds within his budget to cover the MRI operating costs for the planned MRI at PMH?
(5) If not, has the Minister obtained any agreement with Western Australia’s Treasury or the Treasurer (Hon Eric Ripper) to fund the MRI operation at PMH?
(6) If not, how does the Minister plan to pay for the operating costs of PMH’s MRI machine when it is installed?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
5 December 2002
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary representing the Minister for Health
Response time
22 days
1.
- 6. Funding for a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) service at Princess Margaret Hospital has been the subject of ongoing consideration by Government. Treasury is aware of the issues involved.
The funding required to an operate MRI service includes capital funding to purchase and install the MRI equipment and recurrent funding to meet operating costs.
There have been capital funds allocated within the State 2002/03 budget to establish the MRI service at Princess Margaret Hospital.
In regard to recurrent funding, the State Government sought to obtain a Commonwealth Medicare licence for a machine at the Hospital, so that services delivered would attract Medicare rebates. This would assist with meeting the ongoing cost of operating the MRI service. Unfortunately, the Commonwealth refused to issue a licence for a MRI machine at the State's Children Hospital.
With recent research demonstrating there are particular risks to children arising from the provision of CAT scans as an alternative to MRI scans, the Government decided it could not any longer for the Commonwealth to recognise its responsibilities to the children in this State. It was determined therefore that the State would proceed with establishing the service despite the Commonwealth refusal to provide a licence.
As noted in the response to Question 229, the new MRI service at Princess Margaret Hospital should begin operating in March/April 2003. The operating costs for the remaining 2 - 3 months of 2002/03 will be able to be funded through a reprioritisation of funds from within the Health portfolio.
Telethon funding will contribute substantially to the operating costs for the service in 2003/04. On behalf of the children of Western Australia the State Government has accepted this generous offer from the Telethon organisation.
While the State remains hopeful that the Commonwealth will issue a Medicare licence for the MRI machine at Princess Margaret Hospital, if it does not, then funding beyond 2003/04 to support the service will need to be considered in the context of future State budget processes.
- 6. Funding for a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) service at Princess Margaret Hospital has been the subject of ongoing consideration by Government. Treasury is aware of the issues involved.
The funding required to an operate MRI service includes capital funding to purchase and install the MRI equipment and recurrent funding to meet operating costs.
There have been capital funds allocated within the State 2002/03 budget to establish the MRI service at Princess Margaret Hospital.
In regard to recurrent funding, the State Government sought to obtain a Commonwealth Medicare licence for a machine at the Hospital, so that services delivered would attract Medicare rebates. This would assist with meeting the ongoing cost of operating the MRI service. Unfortunately, the Commonwealth refused to issue a licence for a MRI machine at the State's Children Hospital.
With recent research demonstrating there are particular risks to children arising from the provision of CAT scans as an alternative to MRI scans, the Government decided it could not any longer for the Commonwealth to recognise its responsibilities to the children in this State. It was determined therefore that the State would proceed with establishing the service despite the Commonwealth refusal to provide a licence.
As noted in the response to Question 229, the new MRI service at Princess Margaret Hospital should begin operating in March/April 2003. The operating costs for the remaining 2 - 3 months of 2002/03 will be able to be funded through a reprioritisation of funds from within the Health portfolio.
Telethon funding will contribute substantially to the operating costs for the service in 2003/04. On behalf of the children of Western Australia the State Government has accepted this generous offer from the Telethon organisation.
While the State remains hopeful that the Commonwealth will issue a Medicare licence for the MRI machine at Princess Margaret Hospital, if it does not, then funding beyond 2003/04 to support the service will need to be considered in the context of future State budget processes.
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.