❓ Question regarding privatisation of hospital services, specifically Fiona Stanley Hospital, and whether contracts will be limited to not-for-profit organisations. The Minister denies full privatisation and defends contracting out 'backroom' services, a practice he claims is widespread and was also used by the previous government.
AnsweredQoN 287Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
HOSPITALS — SERVICE PRIVATISATION
I refer to the privatisation of hospital services and correspondence to a member of the public from the member for Jandakot in which he states that if any minor services do get contracted out, he would support them going only to not-for-profit organisations such as the St Vincent de Paul Society or the Salvation Army, because any money they make, they put back into the community towards the poorest of people. (1) Can the minister confirm the assertions of the member for Jandakot that privatised services will only be granted to not-for-profit organisations rather than private sector entities? (2) Can the minister confirm that in the case of Fiona Stanley Hospital, hospital service contracts will only be offered to not-for-profit organisations; and, if not, does he accept the arguments of the member for Jandakot that it is inappropriate for hospital services to be run for profit and not for service to the community? Dr K.D. HAMES
I refer to the privatisation of hospital services and correspondence to a member of the public from the member for Jandakot in which he states that if any minor services do get contracted out, he would support them going only to not-for-profit organisations such as the St Vincent de Paul Society or the Salvation Army, because any money they make, they put back into the community towards the poorest of people. (1) Can the minister confirm the assertions of the member for Jandakot that privatised services will only be granted to not-for-profit organisations rather than private sector entities? (2) Can the minister confirm that in the case of Fiona Stanley Hospital, hospital service contracts will only be offered to not-for-profit organisations; and, if not, does he accept the arguments of the member for Jandakot that it is inappropriate for hospital services to be run for profit and not for service to the community? Dr K.D. HAMES
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I had a question prepared about Fiona Stanley Hospital and the contracting out of services at that hospital—in fact, the member for Jandakot was preparing to ask me that very question! What has happened is that the union has put out a document to the whole of the community regaling it about the privatisation of Fiona Stanley Hospital, which we all know is an absolute nonsense. That is not true, and the union is being totally deceptive in what it is putting out to the local community. It is true that we are going out to the private sector for the provision of a lot of backroom services at Fiona Stanley Hospital—a lot of the same stuff that was contracted to the private sector under the former government, such as renal services, and subcontracting the maintenance of hospitals. All those things not only were part of the package of the former government in looking after hospitals but also have become the trend Australia-wide and worldwide. We are going outside the public sector for the provision of those backroom services. We have made that very clear, and it is a proposal with which we intend to continue.
(1) Can the minister confirm the assertions of the member for Jandakot that privatised services will only be granted to not-for-profit organisations rather than private sector entities? (2) Can the minister confirm that in the case of Fiona Stanley Hospital, hospital service contracts will only be offered to not-for-profit organisations; and, if not, does he accept the arguments of the member for Jandakot that it is inappropriate for hospital services to be run for profit and not for service to the community? Dr K.D. HAMES replied: (1)–(2) I had a question prepared about Fiona Stanley Hospital and the contracting out of services at that hospital—in fact, the member for Jandakot was preparing to ask me that very question! What has happened is that the union has put out a document to the whole of the community regaling it about the privatisation of Fiona Stanley Hospital, which we all know is an absolute nonsense. That is not true, and the union is being totally deceptive in what it is putting out to the local community. It is true that we are going out to the private sector for the provision of a lot of backroom services at Fiona Stanley Hospital—a lot of the same stuff that was contracted to the private sector under the former government, such as renal services, and subcontracting the maintenance of hospitals. All those things not only were part of the package of the former government in looking after hospitals but also have become the trend Australia-wide and worldwide. We are going outside the public sector for the provision of those backroom services. We have made that very clear, and it is a proposal with which we intend to continue.
(2) Can the minister confirm that in the case of Fiona Stanley Hospital, hospital service contracts will only be offered to not-for-profit organisations; and, if not, does he accept the arguments of the member for Jandakot that it is inappropriate for hospital services to be run for profit and not for service to the community? Dr K.D. HAMES replied: (1)–(2) I had a question prepared about Fiona Stanley Hospital and the contracting out of services at that hospital—in fact, the member for Jandakot was preparing to ask me that very question! What has happened is that the union has put out a document to the whole of the community regaling it about the privatisation of Fiona Stanley Hospital, which we all know is an absolute nonsense. That is not true, and the union is being totally deceptive in what it is putting out to the local community. It is true that we are going out to the private sector for the provision of a lot of backroom services at Fiona Stanley Hospital—a lot of the same stuff that was contracted to the private sector under the former government, such as renal services, and subcontracting the maintenance of hospitals. All those things not only were part of the package of the former government in looking after hospitals but also have become the trend Australia-wide and worldwide. We are going outside the public sector for the provision of those backroom services. We have made that very clear, and it is a proposal with which we intend to continue.
Dr K.D. HAMES replied: (1)–(2) I had a question prepared about Fiona Stanley Hospital and the contracting out of services at that hospital—in fact, the member for Jandakot was preparing to ask me that very question! What has happened is that the union has put out a document to the whole of the community regaling it about the privatisation of Fiona Stanley Hospital, which we all know is an absolute nonsense. That is not true, and the union is being totally deceptive in what it is putting out to the local community. It is true that we are going out to the private sector for the provision of a lot of backroom services at Fiona Stanley Hospital—a lot of the same stuff that was contracted to the private sector under the former government, such as renal services, and subcontracting the maintenance of hospitals. All those things not only were part of the package of the former government in looking after hospitals but also have become the trend Australia-wide and worldwide. We are going outside the public sector for the provision of those backroom services. We have made that very clear, and it is a proposal with which we intend to continue.
(1)–(2) I had a question prepared about Fiona Stanley Hospital and the contracting out of services at that hospital—in fact, the member for Jandakot was preparing to ask me that very question! What has happened is that the union has put out a document to the whole of the community regaling it about the privatisation of Fiona Stanley Hospital, which we all know is an absolute nonsense. That is not true, and the union is being totally deceptive in what it is putting out to the local community. It is true that we are going out to the private sector for the provision of a lot of backroom services at Fiona Stanley Hospital—a lot of the same stuff that was contracted to the private sector under the former government, such as renal services, and subcontracting the maintenance of hospitals. All those things not only were part of the package of the former government in looking after hospitals but also have become the trend Australia-wide and worldwide. We are going outside the public sector for the provision of those backroom services. We have made that very clear, and it is a proposal with which we intend to continue.
(1) Can the minister confirm the assertions of the member for Jandakot that privatised services will only be granted to not-for-profit organisations rather than private sector entities? (2) Can the minister confirm that in the case of Fiona Stanley Hospital, hospital service contracts will only be offered to not-for-profit organisations; and, if not, does he accept the arguments of the member for Jandakot that it is inappropriate for hospital services to be run for profit and not for service to the community? Dr K.D. HAMES replied: (1)–(2) I had a question prepared about Fiona Stanley Hospital and the contracting out of services at that hospital—in fact, the member for Jandakot was preparing to ask me that very question! What has happened is that the union has put out a document to the whole of the community regaling it about the privatisation of Fiona Stanley Hospital, which we all know is an absolute nonsense. That is not true, and the union is being totally deceptive in what it is putting out to the local community. It is true that we are going out to the private sector for the provision of a lot of backroom services at Fiona Stanley Hospital—a lot of the same stuff that was contracted to the private sector under the former government, such as renal services, and subcontracting the maintenance of hospitals. All those things not only were part of the package of the former government in looking after hospitals but also have become the trend Australia-wide and worldwide. We are going outside the public sector for the provision of those backroom services. We have made that very clear, and it is a proposal with which we intend to continue.
(2) Can the minister confirm that in the case of Fiona Stanley Hospital, hospital service contracts will only be offered to not-for-profit organisations; and, if not, does he accept the arguments of the member for Jandakot that it is inappropriate for hospital services to be run for profit and not for service to the community? Dr K.D. HAMES replied: (1)–(2) I had a question prepared about Fiona Stanley Hospital and the contracting out of services at that hospital—in fact, the member for Jandakot was preparing to ask me that very question! What has happened is that the union has put out a document to the whole of the community regaling it about the privatisation of Fiona Stanley Hospital, which we all know is an absolute nonsense. That is not true, and the union is being totally deceptive in what it is putting out to the local community. It is true that we are going out to the private sector for the provision of a lot of backroom services at Fiona Stanley Hospital—a lot of the same stuff that was contracted to the private sector under the former government, such as renal services, and subcontracting the maintenance of hospitals. All those things not only were part of the package of the former government in looking after hospitals but also have become the trend Australia-wide and worldwide. We are going outside the public sector for the provision of those backroom services. We have made that very clear, and it is a proposal with which we intend to continue.
Dr K.D. HAMES replied: (1)–(2) I had a question prepared about Fiona Stanley Hospital and the contracting out of services at that hospital—in fact, the member for Jandakot was preparing to ask me that very question! What has happened is that the union has put out a document to the whole of the community regaling it about the privatisation of Fiona Stanley Hospital, which we all know is an absolute nonsense. That is not true, and the union is being totally deceptive in what it is putting out to the local community. It is true that we are going out to the private sector for the provision of a lot of backroom services at Fiona Stanley Hospital—a lot of the same stuff that was contracted to the private sector under the former government, such as renal services, and subcontracting the maintenance of hospitals. All those things not only were part of the package of the former government in looking after hospitals but also have become the trend Australia-wide and worldwide. We are going outside the public sector for the provision of those backroom services. We have made that very clear, and it is a proposal with which we intend to continue.
(1)–(2) I had a question prepared about Fiona Stanley Hospital and the contracting out of services at that hospital—in fact, the member for Jandakot was preparing to ask me that very question! What has happened is that the union has put out a document to the whole of the community regaling it about the privatisation of Fiona Stanley Hospital, which we all know is an absolute nonsense. That is not true, and the union is being totally deceptive in what it is putting out to the local community. It is true that we are going out to the private sector for the provision of a lot of backroom services at Fiona Stanley Hospital—a lot of the same stuff that was contracted to the private sector under the former government, such as renal services, and subcontracting the maintenance of hospitals. All those things not only were part of the package of the former government in looking after hospitals but also have become the trend Australia-wide and worldwide. We are going outside the public sector for the provision of those backroom services. We have made that very clear, and it is a proposal with which we intend to continue.
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