❓ Ms Collins asks about affordable healthcare efforts. The Minister details initiatives like expanding pharmacist roles and GP training for ADHD diagnosis, particularly in regional areas, highlighting collaboration with the federal government.
AnsweredQoN 160Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Health—Affordable health care
160. Ms Caitlin Collins to the Minister for
Health:
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's efforts to deliver affordable health services for Western
Australians.
(1) Can the minister update the house on how this
government is making it easier for Western Australians to access cheaper primary
health care?
(2) Can the minister advise the house how new
initiatives are supporting more Western Australians to get the health care they
need when they need it?
160. Ms Caitlin Collins to the Minister for
Health:
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's efforts to deliver affordable health services for Western
Australians.
(1) Can the minister update the house on how this
government is making it easier for Western Australians to access cheaper primary
health care?
(2) Can the minister advise the house how new
initiatives are supporting more Western Australians to get the health care they
need when they need it?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I thank the member for the
question and for her interest in making sure Western Australians get the health
care they need when they need it. Of course, we have a range of initiatives as
a government to improve access to health care, including diversifying treatment
options for patients and making sure people can access care closer to home. We
are delivering on our commitment to expand particularly the scope of practice
for pharmacists. People will be aware that pharmacists are already able to
resupply contraceptive pill script repeats and treat straightforward urinary
tract infections. This saves Western Australians trips to the general
practitioner. Just last month, an additional 40 pharmacists began their
training to diagnose and treat a range of simple common conditions, like
asthma, shingles and ear infections, in their communities. There is an expanded
list of things that pharmacists will be able to treat. The 40 pharmacists who recently
started their training through the University of Western Australia will join
pharmacists who are already in training, meaning we will have 90 pharmacists
undertaking that important work.
I am very pleased to advise the
house that about one-third of those pharmacists are from regional and remote
Western Australia. That is no accident. That is because we know that regional
representation in this group is important to ensure people can access the
health care that they need. It reflects our commitment, because we have
delivered on our commitment of investing $1.26 million to subsidise training
costs so that larger amounts are made available to regional and remote students
to help them cover the additional costs of training. This pilot has great
support from the community and from the pharmacy sector. There is momentum
behind it and we are very excited to see these pharmacists complete their
training and take up their work as pharmacists in the pilot later this year.
We are not only helping
pharmacists build on their existing skills, but also supporting GPs so that
they can expand their services, particularly in relation to being able to
diagnose and treat ADHD in people over the age of 10 years. We know that this
is a very difficult challenge for parents, but with GPs trained and able to
assist in the diagnoses and treatment of ADHD, that means there will not be
that same reliance on what are often very expensive psychiatry appointments,
particularly when people's condition is stable. That training has been
developed by the WA branch of the Royal Australian College of General
Practitioners, delivered in collaboration with the Australasian ADHD Professionals
Association and of course overseen with input from the Department of Health.
Those are two examples of all
the work that we are doing to deliver more care to where it is more accessible in
the community for people to access. It builds on our partnership with the
Albanese government, delivering Medicare bulk-billed, urgent care clinics, the
work that it is doing to roll out its 1800MEDICARE line, and of course the
focus that the federal government has on bulk-billed GP appointments. It is
only Labor governments that are ultimately committed to delivering health care
to Western Australians, no matter where they live.
Point of order
Mr Lachlan Hunter: Point of order, Mr Speaker.
The Speaker: There is no point of order, member for
Central Wheatbelt.
Mr Lachlan Hunter: The time!
The Speaker: No; it has nothing to do with you.
Member for Central
Wheatbelt, I call you to order for the third time for misuse of points of
order. That was just a blatant, unnecessary misuse of the standing orders in
regard to calling points of order. You know that the duration of the response
from the minister has absolutely nothing to do with you.
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: No.
Questions without notice resumed
Ms Meredith Hammat: Thank you, Speaker, because I was
just making the important point about how it is only Labor governments that
ever deliver real healthcare improvements for people. It is only Labor
governments that invest in our health system and in our hospital system.
Several members
interjected.
Ms Meredith Hammat: It is only Labor governments that
invest in delivering more care in the community and take seriously the needs of
Western Australians and prioritise the commitment to ensuring that—
Several members
interjected.
Ms Meredith Hammat: They are agitated, aren't they?
It is only ever Labor governments that deliver our
commitment—
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members! Members!
Mr Roger Cook: Keep going, member!
Ms Meredith Hammat: I want them to listen, Premier,
because it is only Labor governments that deliver on the commitment to make
sure that Western Australians get access to the health care they need, when
they need it.
The Speaker: Members of the opposition, that concludes
question time. You have got to learn, one day. There were far too many
interjections. Look at the time. It is five minutes to 3:00 pm. It has taken 55
minutes and we have not even got through it.
question and for her interest in making sure Western Australians get the health
care they need when they need it. Of course, we have a range of initiatives as
a government to improve access to health care, including diversifying treatment
options for patients and making sure people can access care closer to home. We
are delivering on our commitment to expand particularly the scope of practice
for pharmacists. People will be aware that pharmacists are already able to
resupply contraceptive pill script repeats and treat straightforward urinary
tract infections. This saves Western Australians trips to the general
practitioner. Just last month, an additional 40 pharmacists began their
training to diagnose and treat a range of simple common conditions, like
asthma, shingles and ear infections, in their communities. There is an expanded
list of things that pharmacists will be able to treat. The 40 pharmacists who recently
started their training through the University of Western Australia will join
pharmacists who are already in training, meaning we will have 90 pharmacists
undertaking that important work.
I am very pleased to advise the
house that about one-third of those pharmacists are from regional and remote
Western Australia. That is no accident. That is because we know that regional
representation in this group is important to ensure people can access the
health care that they need. It reflects our commitment, because we have
delivered on our commitment of investing $1.26 million to subsidise training
costs so that larger amounts are made available to regional and remote students
to help them cover the additional costs of training. This pilot has great
support from the community and from the pharmacy sector. There is momentum
behind it and we are very excited to see these pharmacists complete their
training and take up their work as pharmacists in the pilot later this year.
We are not only helping
pharmacists build on their existing skills, but also supporting GPs so that
they can expand their services, particularly in relation to being able to
diagnose and treat ADHD in people over the age of 10 years. We know that this
is a very difficult challenge for parents, but with GPs trained and able to
assist in the diagnoses and treatment of ADHD, that means there will not be
that same reliance on what are often very expensive psychiatry appointments,
particularly when people's condition is stable. That training has been
developed by the WA branch of the Royal Australian College of General
Practitioners, delivered in collaboration with the Australasian ADHD Professionals
Association and of course overseen with input from the Department of Health.
Those are two examples of all
the work that we are doing to deliver more care to where it is more accessible in
the community for people to access. It builds on our partnership with the
Albanese government, delivering Medicare bulk-billed, urgent care clinics, the
work that it is doing to roll out its 1800MEDICARE line, and of course the
focus that the federal government has on bulk-billed GP appointments. It is
only Labor governments that are ultimately committed to delivering health care
to Western Australians, no matter where they live.
Point of order
Mr Lachlan Hunter: Point of order, Mr Speaker.
The Speaker: There is no point of order, member for
Central Wheatbelt.
Mr Lachlan Hunter: The time!
The Speaker: No; it has nothing to do with you.
Member for Central
Wheatbelt, I call you to order for the third time for misuse of points of
order. That was just a blatant, unnecessary misuse of the standing orders in
regard to calling points of order. You know that the duration of the response
from the minister has absolutely nothing to do with you.
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: No.
Questions without notice resumed
Ms Meredith Hammat: Thank you, Speaker, because I was
just making the important point about how it is only Labor governments that
ever deliver real healthcare improvements for people. It is only Labor
governments that invest in our health system and in our hospital system.
Several members
interjected.
Ms Meredith Hammat: It is only Labor governments that
invest in delivering more care in the community and take seriously the needs of
Western Australians and prioritise the commitment to ensuring that—
Several members
interjected.
Ms Meredith Hammat: They are agitated, aren't they?
It is only ever Labor governments that deliver our
commitment—
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members! Members!
Mr Roger Cook: Keep going, member!
Ms Meredith Hammat: I want them to listen, Premier,
because it is only Labor governments that deliver on the commitment to make
sure that Western Australians get access to the health care they need, when
they need it.
The Speaker: Members of the opposition, that concludes
question time. You have got to learn, one day. There were far too many
interjections. Look at the time. It is five minutes to 3:00 pm. It has taken 55
minutes and we have not even got through it.
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