❓ Opposition questions the Premier regarding hospital staffing levels and potential cuts due to budget mismanagement, referencing concerns raised by the AMA. The Premier acknowledges overstaffing in the system overall, attributing it to the commissioning of new hospitals and promising a managed transition.
AnsweredQoN 895Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
HOSPITALS —
STAFFING
895. Mr M. McGOWAN to the
Premier:
I refer the Premier
to comments yesterday by the Australian Medical Association state president, Dr
Michael Gannon, who said that even at Fiona Stanley Hospital, which we are told is overstaffed, about 80 per cent
of doctors are generally required to work more than their rostered hours. He
said that reflected demand on the system and that any cuts to doctor numbers or
staff numbers will affect patient care. I refer to the Premier's comments yesterday that our hospitals
are overstaffed by several hundred. Is it really not the case that because the
government has mismanaged the health budget, hundreds of staff will be sacked
and patient care affected?
STAFFING
895. Mr M. McGOWAN to the
Premier:
I refer the Premier
to comments yesterday by the Australian Medical Association state president, Dr
Michael Gannon, who said that even at Fiona Stanley Hospital, which we are told is overstaffed, about 80 per cent
of doctors are generally required to work more than their rostered hours. He
said that reflected demand on the system and that any cuts to doctor numbers or
staff numbers will affect patient care. I refer to the Premier's comments yesterday that our hospitals
are overstaffed by several hundred. Is it really not the case that because the
government has mismanaged the health budget, hundreds of staff will be sacked
and patient care affected?
AnswerView source ↗
I think that should
have been addressed to Minister for Health, but I will make comment on it.
Mr M. McGowan : You're the one who's
commented on it.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I said I am going to make comment. In terms
of the established staff, the whole health system is significantly overstaffed.
The situation obviously varies from hospital to hospital and, as I explained
yesterday, when new hospitals that this government has created are staffed, we
tend to have an overbalance of staff. They have been commissioning and getting
the new hospital up and going, meanwhile other staff are in the older
hospitals. There needs to be a reduction in staff and also a repositioning of
staff to where the patients are and the greatest demand is. That is a process
that will be overseen by the health minister. We can expect fewer staff to be
replaced and probably less overtime, and we hope that staff currently employed
in the older hospitals will move to the new hospitals, particularly in the case
of Midland Health Campus. It is an issue that is being managed. There you go,
that is it. Our health budget has increased dramatically under this government,
and the quality of health care and conditions for staff, including their pay, has
dramatically increased. It is a pity that members opposite did not do anything
about health when they were in government.
have been addressed to Minister for Health, but I will make comment on it.
Mr M. McGowan : You're the one who's
commented on it.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I said I am going to make comment. In terms
of the established staff, the whole health system is significantly overstaffed.
The situation obviously varies from hospital to hospital and, as I explained
yesterday, when new hospitals that this government has created are staffed, we
tend to have an overbalance of staff. They have been commissioning and getting
the new hospital up and going, meanwhile other staff are in the older
hospitals. There needs to be a reduction in staff and also a repositioning of
staff to where the patients are and the greatest demand is. That is a process
that will be overseen by the health minister. We can expect fewer staff to be
replaced and probably less overtime, and we hope that staff currently employed
in the older hospitals will move to the new hospitals, particularly in the case
of Midland Health Campus. It is an issue that is being managed. There you go,
that is it. Our health budget has increased dramatically under this government,
and the quality of health care and conditions for staff, including their pay, has
dramatically increased. It is a pity that members opposite did not do anything
about health when they were in government.
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.