❓ Opposition Leader McGowan questions Health Minister Hames about potential staff losses at Fiona Stanley Hospital due to budget overruns. The Minister avoids providing a specific number, stating various cost-saving measures are being considered.
AnsweredQoN 1027Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH — STAFFING —
FIONA STANLEY HOSPITAL
1027. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Minister for
Health:
I have a supplementary question. When is the minister going to be open,
accountable and honest and reveal exactly how many staff will be lost at Fiona
Stanley Hospital and does the minister rule out a loss of staff numbers above
400?
FIONA STANLEY HOSPITAL
1027. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Minister for
Health:
I have a supplementary question. When is the minister going to be open,
accountable and honest and reveal exactly how many staff will be lost at Fiona
Stanley Hospital and does the minister rule out a loss of staff numbers above
400?
AnswerView source ↗
Yes, I do rule out a loss of staff numbers above 400, because the
Leader of the Opposition has only to do the math on the amount of money that
the hospital is over budget. The Leader of the Opposition knows how much it is
over budget, so he can work that out on the costs, but that is not the final
number of staff.
Several members
interjected.
Dr K.D. HAMES : I have been through this with the Leader of
the Opposition; he just does not understand. I have told him over and over again.
The reason that he does not understand is that he will not stop talking. Why
does he not stop and listen and try to understand?
Mr M. McGowan interjected.
Dr K.D. HAMES : Mr Speaker!
The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition, I call you to order for the first time.
Dr K.D. HAMES : Members opposite have no interest
whatsoever in the answer.
Mrs M.H. Roberts : Tell us the number!
Dr K.D. HAMES : There is no specific number. The number is
unknown, so take that on board for a start. The number is unknown; there is no
specific number. Now, stop and think why —
Several members
interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr M. McGowan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition!
Dr K.D. HAMES : Members opposite should stop and think why —
Several members
interjected.
Dr K.D. HAMES : Did you hear that, Mr Speaker?
The SPEAKER : If you want to ask a supplementary, ask a supplementary. You might
not like his answer, but he is answering.
Dr K.D. HAMES : There is an amount of money by which the
hospitals are over budget. If the Leader of the Opposition were to take that to
be the full amount per cost, he would get a number, but the number would be
meaningless because that is not the only option they have to reduce those
costs. They do not have to reduce staff to reduce FTEs. FTEs are full-time
equivalents. They are not people; they are costs. If, for example, they reduced
overtime and kept the same number of staff, they would reduce the number of
FTEs. Those hospitals, and individual departments within those hospitals, have
been told to go away and look at their budget. They can reduce their
expenditure by staff reductions, if they have to, or by reducing overtime,
coding, length of stay or with any of the different options that are open to
them, as long as they meet that budget. There is no specific number.
Leader of the Opposition has only to do the math on the amount of money that
the hospital is over budget. The Leader of the Opposition knows how much it is
over budget, so he can work that out on the costs, but that is not the final
number of staff.
Several members
interjected.
Dr K.D. HAMES : I have been through this with the Leader of
the Opposition; he just does not understand. I have told him over and over again.
The reason that he does not understand is that he will not stop talking. Why
does he not stop and listen and try to understand?
Mr M. McGowan interjected.
Dr K.D. HAMES : Mr Speaker!
The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition, I call you to order for the first time.
Dr K.D. HAMES : Members opposite have no interest
whatsoever in the answer.
Mrs M.H. Roberts : Tell us the number!
Dr K.D. HAMES : There is no specific number. The number is
unknown, so take that on board for a start. The number is unknown; there is no
specific number. Now, stop and think why —
Several members
interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr M. McGowan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition!
Dr K.D. HAMES : Members opposite should stop and think why —
Several members
interjected.
Dr K.D. HAMES : Did you hear that, Mr Speaker?
The SPEAKER : If you want to ask a supplementary, ask a supplementary. You might
not like his answer, but he is answering.
Dr K.D. HAMES : There is an amount of money by which the
hospitals are over budget. If the Leader of the Opposition were to take that to
be the full amount per cost, he would get a number, but the number would be
meaningless because that is not the only option they have to reduce those
costs. They do not have to reduce staff to reduce FTEs. FTEs are full-time
equivalents. They are not people; they are costs. If, for example, they reduced
overtime and kept the same number of staff, they would reduce the number of
FTEs. Those hospitals, and individual departments within those hospitals, have
been told to go away and look at their budget. They can reduce their
expenditure by staff reductions, if they have to, or by reducing overtime,
coding, length of stay or with any of the different options that are open to
them, as long as they meet that budget. There is no specific number.
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