❓ Mr. Waldron questions the Minister for Health about reinstating mobile blood collection services in rural areas. The Minister responds that the suggestions are not financially viable due to low donation rates and funding structures.
AnsweredQoN 599Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
On Thursday 25 August, I raised a grievance in this house on the withdrawal of the mobile blood collection service from country areas. In his response, the minister undertook to raise directly with the Department of Health and the Australian Red Cross Blood Service my suggestions to have the service reinstated. (1) Has the minister taken my suggestions to the Department of Health and the Australian Red Cross Blood Service? (2) What response has he received to the five suggestions I made to reinstate blood collection services in country areas? (3) What action will the minister take to ensure people who live in inland communities can donate blood? Mr J.A. McGINTY
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(3) I thank the member for some notice of this question. Following debate in this house about the availability of Red Cross Blood Service donation centres for country people, I raised the matters directly with the Department of Health, which has in turn discussed the matters with the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. The five suggestions the member for Wagin made were, firstly, to provide additional funding to the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. The response I received is that Red Cross Blood Service funding is provided by the national blood authority to the national organisation, not the state operating unit. These funds comprise 63 per cent commonwealth and 37 per cent state contributions. Contributions are made under contract, the outputs of which are the supply of fresh blood products and plasma for fractionation in line with the supply plan approved collectively by Ministers for Health. Secondly, the member for Wagin proposed that a state-of-the-art mobile collection unit be purchased. Such units cost almost $1 million to buy and more than $1 million per annum to run. A unit would need to collect more than 14 000 donations per annum to be viable and it would need to be available for collection, seven hours a day, five days a week. Travelling time would be additional. History shows that the Western Australia rural population cannot achieve this level of donation. Currently a total of 120 000 collections are done per annum, of which 14 000 are collected in rural areas throughout the state. Rural collection figures have been at these levels for about a decade. This covers the period when at least five additional rural collection services were operating. Thirdly, the member for Wagin suggested free transport be made available for people to travel from rural centres to Perth. The collection rates discussed above suggest that that is not a viable option. Fourthly, he suggested rural collection centres be established in Narrogin, Northam, Katanning, Moora and Merredin. The existence of blood donor collection centres, static or mobile, and their locations are matters for the Red Cross Blood Service management and, therefore, its decision to make. Unless a blood donor collection centre can collect blood from at least 50 donors a week, it is not viable. Generally, a population of 30 000 people is required to support this level of donation. Fifthly, he sought extension of the Bunbury mobile clinic. That clinic is fully extended and has no further capacity. I have raised with the Department of Health the matters the member has referred to and it has raised them with the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. They are matters that involve decisions by the Red Cross Blood Service. The information that has been provided to me indicates that, in light of the current population levels in those centres, such action would be unreasonably expensive.
(1) Has the minister taken my suggestions to the Department of Health and the Australian Red Cross Blood Service? (2) What response has he received to the five suggestions I made to reinstate blood collection services in country areas? (3) What action will the minister take to ensure people who live in inland communities can donate blood? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(3) I thank the member for some notice of this question. Following debate in this house about the availability of Red Cross Blood Service donation centres for country people, I raised the matters directly with the Department of Health, which has in turn discussed the matters with the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. The five suggestions the member for Wagin made were, firstly, to provide additional funding to the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. The response I received is that Red Cross Blood Service funding is provided by the national blood authority to the national organisation, not the state operating unit. These funds comprise 63 per cent commonwealth and 37 per cent state contributions. Contributions are made under contract, the outputs of which are the supply of fresh blood products and plasma for fractionation in line with the supply plan approved collectively by Ministers for Health. Secondly, the member for Wagin proposed that a state-of-the-art mobile collection unit be purchased. Such units cost almost $1 million to buy and more than $1 million per annum to run. A unit would need to collect more than 14 000 donations per annum to be viable and it would need to be available for collection, seven hours a day, five days a week. Travelling time would be additional. History shows that the Western Australia rural population cannot achieve this level of donation. Currently a total of 120 000 collections are done per annum, of which 14 000 are collected in rural areas throughout the state. Rural collection figures have been at these levels for about a decade. This covers the period when at least five additional rural collection services were operating. Thirdly, the member for Wagin suggested free transport be made available for people to travel from rural centres to Perth. The collection rates discussed above suggest that that is not a viable option. Fourthly, he suggested rural collection centres be established in Narrogin, Northam, Katanning, Moora and Merredin. The existence of blood donor collection centres, static or mobile, and their locations are matters for the Red Cross Blood Service management and, therefore, its decision to make. Unless a blood donor collection centre can collect blood from at least 50 donors a week, it is not viable. Generally, a population of 30 000 people is required to support this level of donation. Fifthly, he sought extension of the Bunbury mobile clinic. That clinic is fully extended and has no further capacity. I have raised with the Department of Health the matters the member has referred to and it has raised them with the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. They are matters that involve decisions by the Red Cross Blood Service. The information that has been provided to me indicates that, in light of the current population levels in those centres, such action would be unreasonably expensive.
(2) What response has he received to the five suggestions I made to reinstate blood collection services in country areas? (3) What action will the minister take to ensure people who live in inland communities can donate blood? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(3) I thank the member for some notice of this question. Following debate in this house about the availability of Red Cross Blood Service donation centres for country people, I raised the matters directly with the Department of Health, which has in turn discussed the matters with the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. The five suggestions the member for Wagin made were, firstly, to provide additional funding to the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. The response I received is that Red Cross Blood Service funding is provided by the national blood authority to the national organisation, not the state operating unit. These funds comprise 63 per cent commonwealth and 37 per cent state contributions. Contributions are made under contract, the outputs of which are the supply of fresh blood products and plasma for fractionation in line with the supply plan approved collectively by Ministers for Health. Secondly, the member for Wagin proposed that a state-of-the-art mobile collection unit be purchased. Such units cost almost $1 million to buy and more than $1 million per annum to run. A unit would need to collect more than 14 000 donations per annum to be viable and it would need to be available for collection, seven hours a day, five days a week. Travelling time would be additional. History shows that the Western Australia rural population cannot achieve this level of donation. Currently a total of 120 000 collections are done per annum, of which 14 000 are collected in rural areas throughout the state. Rural collection figures have been at these levels for about a decade. This covers the period when at least five additional rural collection services were operating. Thirdly, the member for Wagin suggested free transport be made available for people to travel from rural centres to Perth. The collection rates discussed above suggest that that is not a viable option. Fourthly, he suggested rural collection centres be established in Narrogin, Northam, Katanning, Moora and Merredin. The existence of blood donor collection centres, static or mobile, and their locations are matters for the Red Cross Blood Service management and, therefore, its decision to make. Unless a blood donor collection centre can collect blood from at least 50 donors a week, it is not viable. Generally, a population of 30 000 people is required to support this level of donation. Fifthly, he sought extension of the Bunbury mobile clinic. That clinic is fully extended and has no further capacity. I have raised with the Department of Health the matters the member has referred to and it has raised them with the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. They are matters that involve decisions by the Red Cross Blood Service. The information that has been provided to me indicates that, in light of the current population levels in those centres, such action would be unreasonably expensive.
(3) What action will the minister take to ensure people who live in inland communities can donate blood? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(3) I thank the member for some notice of this question. Following debate in this house about the availability of Red Cross Blood Service donation centres for country people, I raised the matters directly with the Department of Health, which has in turn discussed the matters with the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. The five suggestions the member for Wagin made were, firstly, to provide additional funding to the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. The response I received is that Red Cross Blood Service funding is provided by the national blood authority to the national organisation, not the state operating unit. These funds comprise 63 per cent commonwealth and 37 per cent state contributions. Contributions are made under contract, the outputs of which are the supply of fresh blood products and plasma for fractionation in line with the supply plan approved collectively by Ministers for Health. Secondly, the member for Wagin proposed that a state-of-the-art mobile collection unit be purchased. Such units cost almost $1 million to buy and more than $1 million per annum to run. A unit would need to collect more than 14 000 donations per annum to be viable and it would need to be available for collection, seven hours a day, five days a week. Travelling time would be additional. History shows that the Western Australia rural population cannot achieve this level of donation. Currently a total of 120 000 collections are done per annum, of which 14 000 are collected in rural areas throughout the state. Rural collection figures have been at these levels for about a decade. This covers the period when at least five additional rural collection services were operating. Thirdly, the member for Wagin suggested free transport be made available for people to travel from rural centres to Perth. The collection rates discussed above suggest that that is not a viable option. Fourthly, he suggested rural collection centres be established in Narrogin, Northam, Katanning, Moora and Merredin. The existence of blood donor collection centres, static or mobile, and their locations are matters for the Red Cross Blood Service management and, therefore, its decision to make. Unless a blood donor collection centre can collect blood from at least 50 donors a week, it is not viable. Generally, a population of 30 000 people is required to support this level of donation. Fifthly, he sought extension of the Bunbury mobile clinic. That clinic is fully extended and has no further capacity. I have raised with the Department of Health the matters the member has referred to and it has raised them with the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. They are matters that involve decisions by the Red Cross Blood Service. The information that has been provided to me indicates that, in light of the current population levels in those centres, such action would be unreasonably expensive.
Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(3) I thank the member for some notice of this question. Following debate in this house about the availability of Red Cross Blood Service donation centres for country people, I raised the matters directly with the Department of Health, which has in turn discussed the matters with the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. The five suggestions the member for Wagin made were, firstly, to provide additional funding to the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. The response I received is that Red Cross Blood Service funding is provided by the national blood authority to the national organisation, not the state operating unit. These funds comprise 63 per cent commonwealth and 37 per cent state contributions. Contributions are made under contract, the outputs of which are the supply of fresh blood products and plasma for fractionation in line with the supply plan approved collectively by Ministers for Health. Secondly, the member for Wagin proposed that a state-of-the-art mobile collection unit be purchased. Such units cost almost $1 million to buy and more than $1 million per annum to run. A unit would need to collect more than 14 000 donations per annum to be viable and it would need to be available for collection, seven hours a day, five days a week. Travelling time would be additional. History shows that the Western Australia rural population cannot achieve this level of donation. Currently a total of 120 000 collections are done per annum, of which 14 000 are collected in rural areas throughout the state. Rural collection figures have been at these levels for about a decade. This covers the period when at least five additional rural collection services were operating. Thirdly, the member for Wagin suggested free transport be made available for people to travel from rural centres to Perth. The collection rates discussed above suggest that that is not a viable option. Fourthly, he suggested rural collection centres be established in Narrogin, Northam, Katanning, Moora and Merredin. The existence of blood donor collection centres, static or mobile, and their locations are matters for the Red Cross Blood Service management and, therefore, its decision to make. Unless a blood donor collection centre can collect blood from at least 50 donors a week, it is not viable. Generally, a population of 30 000 people is required to support this level of donation. Fifthly, he sought extension of the Bunbury mobile clinic. That clinic is fully extended and has no further capacity. I have raised with the Department of Health the matters the member has referred to and it has raised them with the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. They are matters that involve decisions by the Red Cross Blood Service. The information that has been provided to me indicates that, in light of the current population levels in those centres, such action would be unreasonably expensive.
(1)-(3) I thank the member for some notice of this question. Following debate in this house about the availability of Red Cross Blood Service donation centres for country people, I raised the matters directly with the Department of Health, which has in turn discussed the matters with the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. The five suggestions the member for Wagin made were, firstly, to provide additional funding to the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. The response I received is that Red Cross Blood Service funding is provided by the national blood authority to the national organisation, not the state operating unit. These funds comprise 63 per cent commonwealth and 37 per cent state contributions. Contributions are made under contract, the outputs of which are the supply of fresh blood products and plasma for fractionation in line with the supply plan approved collectively by Ministers for Health. Secondly, the member for Wagin proposed that a state-of-the-art mobile collection unit be purchased. Such units cost almost $1 million to buy and more than $1 million per annum to run. A unit would need to collect more than 14 000 donations per annum to be viable and it would need to be available for collection, seven hours a day, five days a week. Travelling time would be additional. History shows that the Western Australia rural population cannot achieve this level of donation. Currently a total of 120 000 collections are done per annum, of which 14 000 are collected in rural areas throughout the state. Rural collection figures have been at these levels for about a decade. This covers the period when at least five additional rural collection services were operating. Thirdly, the member for Wagin suggested free transport be made available for people to travel from rural centres to Perth. The collection rates discussed above suggest that that is not a viable option. Fourthly, he suggested rural collection centres be established in Narrogin, Northam, Katanning, Moora and Merredin. The existence of blood donor collection centres, static or mobile, and their locations are matters for the Red Cross Blood Service management and, therefore, its decision to make. Unless a blood donor collection centre can collect blood from at least 50 donors a week, it is not viable. Generally, a population of 30 000 people is required to support this level of donation. Fifthly, he sought extension of the Bunbury mobile clinic. That clinic is fully extended and has no further capacity. I have raised with the Department of Health the matters the member has referred to and it has raised them with the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. They are matters that involve decisions by the Red Cross Blood Service. The information that has been provided to me indicates that, in light of the current population levels in those centres, such action would be unreasonably expensive.
Secondly, the member for Wagin proposed that a state-of-the-art mobile collection unit be purchased. Such units cost almost $1 million to buy and more than $1 million per annum to run. A unit would need to collect more than 14 000 donations per annum to be viable and it would need to be available for collection, seven hours a day, five days a week. Travelling time would be additional. History shows that the Western Australia rural population cannot achieve this level of donation. Currently a total of 120 000 collections are done per annum, of which 14 000 are collected in rural areas throughout the state. Rural collection figures have been at these levels for about a decade. This covers the period when at least five additional rural collection services were operating. Thirdly, the member for Wagin suggested free transport be made available for people to travel from rural centres to Perth. The collection rates discussed above suggest that that is not a viable option. Fourthly, he suggested rural collection centres be established in Narrogin, Northam, Katanning, Moora and Merredin. The existence of blood donor collection centres, static or mobile, and their locations are matters for the Red Cross Blood Service management and, therefore, its decision to make. Unless a blood donor collection centre can collect blood from at least 50 donors a week, it is not viable. Generally, a population of 30 000 people is required to support this level of donation. Fifthly, he sought extension of the Bunbury mobile clinic. That clinic is fully extended and has no further capacity. I have raised with the Department of Health the matters the member has referred to and it has raised them with the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. They are matters that involve decisions by the Red Cross Blood Service. The information that has been provided to me indicates that, in light of the current population levels in those centres, such action would be unreasonably expensive.
Thirdly, the member for Wagin suggested free transport be made available for people to travel from rural centres to Perth. The collection rates discussed above suggest that that is not a viable option. Fourthly, he suggested rural collection centres be established in Narrogin, Northam, Katanning, Moora and Merredin. The existence of blood donor collection centres, static or mobile, and their locations are matters for the Red Cross Blood Service management and, therefore, its decision to make. Unless a blood donor collection centre can collect blood from at least 50 donors a week, it is not viable. Generally, a population of 30 000 people is required to support this level of donation. Fifthly, he sought extension of the Bunbury mobile clinic. That clinic is fully extended and has no further capacity. I have raised with the Department of Health the matters the member has referred to and it has raised them with the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. They are matters that involve decisions by the Red Cross Blood Service. The information that has been provided to me indicates that, in light of the current population levels in those centres, such action would be unreasonably expensive.
I have raised with the Department of Health the matters the member has referred to and it has raised them with the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. They are matters that involve decisions by the Red Cross Blood Service. The information that has been provided to me indicates that, in light of the current population levels in those centres, such action would be unreasonably expensive.
(1) Has the minister taken my suggestions to the Department of Health and the Australian Red Cross Blood Service? (2) What response has he received to the five suggestions I made to reinstate blood collection services in country areas? (3) What action will the minister take to ensure people who live in inland communities can donate blood? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(3) I thank the member for some notice of this question. Following debate in this house about the availability of Red Cross Blood Service donation centres for country people, I raised the matters directly with the Department of Health, which has in turn discussed the matters with the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. The five suggestions the member for Wagin made were, firstly, to provide additional funding to the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. The response I received is that Red Cross Blood Service funding is provided by the national blood authority to the national organisation, not the state operating unit. These funds comprise 63 per cent commonwealth and 37 per cent state contributions. Contributions are made under contract, the outputs of which are the supply of fresh blood products and plasma for fractionation in line with the supply plan approved collectively by Ministers for Health. Secondly, the member for Wagin proposed that a state-of-the-art mobile collection unit be purchased. Such units cost almost $1 million to buy and more than $1 million per annum to run. A unit would need to collect more than 14 000 donations per annum to be viable and it would need to be available for collection, seven hours a day, five days a week. Travelling time would be additional. History shows that the Western Australia rural population cannot achieve this level of donation. Currently a total of 120 000 collections are done per annum, of which 14 000 are collected in rural areas throughout the state. Rural collection figures have been at these levels for about a decade. This covers the period when at least five additional rural collection services were operating. Thirdly, the member for Wagin suggested free transport be made available for people to travel from rural centres to Perth. The collection rates discussed above suggest that that is not a viable option. Fourthly, he suggested rural collection centres be established in Narrogin, Northam, Katanning, Moora and Merredin. The existence of blood donor collection centres, static or mobile, and their locations are matters for the Red Cross Blood Service management and, therefore, its decision to make. Unless a blood donor collection centre can collect blood from at least 50 donors a week, it is not viable. Generally, a population of 30 000 people is required to support this level of donation. Fifthly, he sought extension of the Bunbury mobile clinic. That clinic is fully extended and has no further capacity. I have raised with the Department of Health the matters the member has referred to and it has raised them with the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. They are matters that involve decisions by the Red Cross Blood Service. The information that has been provided to me indicates that, in light of the current population levels in those centres, such action would be unreasonably expensive.
(2) What response has he received to the five suggestions I made to reinstate blood collection services in country areas? (3) What action will the minister take to ensure people who live in inland communities can donate blood? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(3) I thank the member for some notice of this question. Following debate in this house about the availability of Red Cross Blood Service donation centres for country people, I raised the matters directly with the Department of Health, which has in turn discussed the matters with the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. The five suggestions the member for Wagin made were, firstly, to provide additional funding to the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. The response I received is that Red Cross Blood Service funding is provided by the national blood authority to the national organisation, not the state operating unit. These funds comprise 63 per cent commonwealth and 37 per cent state contributions. Contributions are made under contract, the outputs of which are the supply of fresh blood products and plasma for fractionation in line with the supply plan approved collectively by Ministers for Health. Secondly, the member for Wagin proposed that a state-of-the-art mobile collection unit be purchased. Such units cost almost $1 million to buy and more than $1 million per annum to run. A unit would need to collect more than 14 000 donations per annum to be viable and it would need to be available for collection, seven hours a day, five days a week. Travelling time would be additional. History shows that the Western Australia rural population cannot achieve this level of donation. Currently a total of 120 000 collections are done per annum, of which 14 000 are collected in rural areas throughout the state. Rural collection figures have been at these levels for about a decade. This covers the period when at least five additional rural collection services were operating. Thirdly, the member for Wagin suggested free transport be made available for people to travel from rural centres to Perth. The collection rates discussed above suggest that that is not a viable option. Fourthly, he suggested rural collection centres be established in Narrogin, Northam, Katanning, Moora and Merredin. The existence of blood donor collection centres, static or mobile, and their locations are matters for the Red Cross Blood Service management and, therefore, its decision to make. Unless a blood donor collection centre can collect blood from at least 50 donors a week, it is not viable. Generally, a population of 30 000 people is required to support this level of donation. Fifthly, he sought extension of the Bunbury mobile clinic. That clinic is fully extended and has no further capacity. I have raised with the Department of Health the matters the member has referred to and it has raised them with the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. They are matters that involve decisions by the Red Cross Blood Service. The information that has been provided to me indicates that, in light of the current population levels in those centres, such action would be unreasonably expensive.
(3) What action will the minister take to ensure people who live in inland communities can donate blood? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(3) I thank the member for some notice of this question. Following debate in this house about the availability of Red Cross Blood Service donation centres for country people, I raised the matters directly with the Department of Health, which has in turn discussed the matters with the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. The five suggestions the member for Wagin made were, firstly, to provide additional funding to the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. The response I received is that Red Cross Blood Service funding is provided by the national blood authority to the national organisation, not the state operating unit. These funds comprise 63 per cent commonwealth and 37 per cent state contributions. Contributions are made under contract, the outputs of which are the supply of fresh blood products and plasma for fractionation in line with the supply plan approved collectively by Ministers for Health. Secondly, the member for Wagin proposed that a state-of-the-art mobile collection unit be purchased. Such units cost almost $1 million to buy and more than $1 million per annum to run. A unit would need to collect more than 14 000 donations per annum to be viable and it would need to be available for collection, seven hours a day, five days a week. Travelling time would be additional. History shows that the Western Australia rural population cannot achieve this level of donation. Currently a total of 120 000 collections are done per annum, of which 14 000 are collected in rural areas throughout the state. Rural collection figures have been at these levels for about a decade. This covers the period when at least five additional rural collection services were operating. Thirdly, the member for Wagin suggested free transport be made available for people to travel from rural centres to Perth. The collection rates discussed above suggest that that is not a viable option. Fourthly, he suggested rural collection centres be established in Narrogin, Northam, Katanning, Moora and Merredin. The existence of blood donor collection centres, static or mobile, and their locations are matters for the Red Cross Blood Service management and, therefore, its decision to make. Unless a blood donor collection centre can collect blood from at least 50 donors a week, it is not viable. Generally, a population of 30 000 people is required to support this level of donation. Fifthly, he sought extension of the Bunbury mobile clinic. That clinic is fully extended and has no further capacity. I have raised with the Department of Health the matters the member has referred to and it has raised them with the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. They are matters that involve decisions by the Red Cross Blood Service. The information that has been provided to me indicates that, in light of the current population levels in those centres, such action would be unreasonably expensive.
Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(3) I thank the member for some notice of this question. Following debate in this house about the availability of Red Cross Blood Service donation centres for country people, I raised the matters directly with the Department of Health, which has in turn discussed the matters with the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. The five suggestions the member for Wagin made were, firstly, to provide additional funding to the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. The response I received is that Red Cross Blood Service funding is provided by the national blood authority to the national organisation, not the state operating unit. These funds comprise 63 per cent commonwealth and 37 per cent state contributions. Contributions are made under contract, the outputs of which are the supply of fresh blood products and plasma for fractionation in line with the supply plan approved collectively by Ministers for Health. Secondly, the member for Wagin proposed that a state-of-the-art mobile collection unit be purchased. Such units cost almost $1 million to buy and more than $1 million per annum to run. A unit would need to collect more than 14 000 donations per annum to be viable and it would need to be available for collection, seven hours a day, five days a week. Travelling time would be additional. History shows that the Western Australia rural population cannot achieve this level of donation. Currently a total of 120 000 collections are done per annum, of which 14 000 are collected in rural areas throughout the state. Rural collection figures have been at these levels for about a decade. This covers the period when at least five additional rural collection services were operating. Thirdly, the member for Wagin suggested free transport be made available for people to travel from rural centres to Perth. The collection rates discussed above suggest that that is not a viable option. Fourthly, he suggested rural collection centres be established in Narrogin, Northam, Katanning, Moora and Merredin. The existence of blood donor collection centres, static or mobile, and their locations are matters for the Red Cross Blood Service management and, therefore, its decision to make. Unless a blood donor collection centre can collect blood from at least 50 donors a week, it is not viable. Generally, a population of 30 000 people is required to support this level of donation. Fifthly, he sought extension of the Bunbury mobile clinic. That clinic is fully extended and has no further capacity. I have raised with the Department of Health the matters the member has referred to and it has raised them with the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. They are matters that involve decisions by the Red Cross Blood Service. The information that has been provided to me indicates that, in light of the current population levels in those centres, such action would be unreasonably expensive.
(1)-(3) I thank the member for some notice of this question. Following debate in this house about the availability of Red Cross Blood Service donation centres for country people, I raised the matters directly with the Department of Health, which has in turn discussed the matters with the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. The five suggestions the member for Wagin made were, firstly, to provide additional funding to the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. The response I received is that Red Cross Blood Service funding is provided by the national blood authority to the national organisation, not the state operating unit. These funds comprise 63 per cent commonwealth and 37 per cent state contributions. Contributions are made under contract, the outputs of which are the supply of fresh blood products and plasma for fractionation in line with the supply plan approved collectively by Ministers for Health. Secondly, the member for Wagin proposed that a state-of-the-art mobile collection unit be purchased. Such units cost almost $1 million to buy and more than $1 million per annum to run. A unit would need to collect more than 14 000 donations per annum to be viable and it would need to be available for collection, seven hours a day, five days a week. Travelling time would be additional. History shows that the Western Australia rural population cannot achieve this level of donation. Currently a total of 120 000 collections are done per annum, of which 14 000 are collected in rural areas throughout the state. Rural collection figures have been at these levels for about a decade. This covers the period when at least five additional rural collection services were operating. Thirdly, the member for Wagin suggested free transport be made available for people to travel from rural centres to Perth. The collection rates discussed above suggest that that is not a viable option. Fourthly, he suggested rural collection centres be established in Narrogin, Northam, Katanning, Moora and Merredin. The existence of blood donor collection centres, static or mobile, and their locations are matters for the Red Cross Blood Service management and, therefore, its decision to make. Unless a blood donor collection centre can collect blood from at least 50 donors a week, it is not viable. Generally, a population of 30 000 people is required to support this level of donation. Fifthly, he sought extension of the Bunbury mobile clinic. That clinic is fully extended and has no further capacity. I have raised with the Department of Health the matters the member has referred to and it has raised them with the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. They are matters that involve decisions by the Red Cross Blood Service. The information that has been provided to me indicates that, in light of the current population levels in those centres, such action would be unreasonably expensive.
Secondly, the member for Wagin proposed that a state-of-the-art mobile collection unit be purchased. Such units cost almost $1 million to buy and more than $1 million per annum to run. A unit would need to collect more than 14 000 donations per annum to be viable and it would need to be available for collection, seven hours a day, five days a week. Travelling time would be additional. History shows that the Western Australia rural population cannot achieve this level of donation. Currently a total of 120 000 collections are done per annum, of which 14 000 are collected in rural areas throughout the state. Rural collection figures have been at these levels for about a decade. This covers the period when at least five additional rural collection services were operating. Thirdly, the member for Wagin suggested free transport be made available for people to travel from rural centres to Perth. The collection rates discussed above suggest that that is not a viable option. Fourthly, he suggested rural collection centres be established in Narrogin, Northam, Katanning, Moora and Merredin. The existence of blood donor collection centres, static or mobile, and their locations are matters for the Red Cross Blood Service management and, therefore, its decision to make. Unless a blood donor collection centre can collect blood from at least 50 donors a week, it is not viable. Generally, a population of 30 000 people is required to support this level of donation. Fifthly, he sought extension of the Bunbury mobile clinic. That clinic is fully extended and has no further capacity. I have raised with the Department of Health the matters the member has referred to and it has raised them with the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. They are matters that involve decisions by the Red Cross Blood Service. The information that has been provided to me indicates that, in light of the current population levels in those centres, such action would be unreasonably expensive.
Thirdly, the member for Wagin suggested free transport be made available for people to travel from rural centres to Perth. The collection rates discussed above suggest that that is not a viable option. Fourthly, he suggested rural collection centres be established in Narrogin, Northam, Katanning, Moora and Merredin. The existence of blood donor collection centres, static or mobile, and their locations are matters for the Red Cross Blood Service management and, therefore, its decision to make. Unless a blood donor collection centre can collect blood from at least 50 donors a week, it is not viable. Generally, a population of 30 000 people is required to support this level of donation. Fifthly, he sought extension of the Bunbury mobile clinic. That clinic is fully extended and has no further capacity. I have raised with the Department of Health the matters the member has referred to and it has raised them with the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. They are matters that involve decisions by the Red Cross Blood Service. The information that has been provided to me indicates that, in light of the current population levels in those centres, such action would be unreasonably expensive.
I have raised with the Department of Health the matters the member has referred to and it has raised them with the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. They are matters that involve decisions by the Red Cross Blood Service. The information that has been provided to me indicates that, in light of the current population levels in those centres, such action would be unreasonably expensive.
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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.