❓ Dr. Woollard questions the Minister for Health on neurosurgical units, cochlear implants for deaf children, and hearing treatment for children in the Pilbara. The Minister provides a partial answer, addressing the Pilbara question and deferring the other two.
AnsweredQoN 386Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
HEARING
IMPEDIMENTS — TREATMENT SERVICES
386. Dr J.M. WOOLLARD to the Minister for Health:
(1) Why is Perth
the only major city in Australia with only one neurosurgical unit, and will the
minister support a second unit at Fiona Stanley Hospital?
(2) Why do deaf
children in Western Australia get only one cochlear implant rather than
bilateral cochlear implants—the treatment in other states—which
would enable them to lead normal lives?
(3) How many
children in the Pilbara identified with hearing problems are waiting for
medical or surgical treatment; and what are the minimum, maximum and average
waiting times for these children?
IMPEDIMENTS — TREATMENT SERVICES
386. Dr J.M. WOOLLARD to the Minister for Health:
(1) Why is Perth
the only major city in Australia with only one neurosurgical unit, and will the
minister support a second unit at Fiona Stanley Hospital?
(2) Why do deaf
children in Western Australia get only one cochlear implant rather than
bilateral cochlear implants—the treatment in other states—which
would enable them to lead normal lives?
(3) How many
children in the Pilbara identified with hearing problems are waiting for
medical or surgical treatment; and what are the minimum, maximum and average
waiting times for these children?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3) It
just goes to show: you give them an inch and they take a mile! The member for
Alfred Cove and I had an agreement that the third question was the only
question she would ask; she has since added questions (1) and (2)! I have an
answer to (3) about children waiting for surgery, but I wanted to actually give
a longer answer than I have. The number waiting for medical treatment is 52 and
for surgical treatment, 53. The minimum waiting time is two months and the
maximum is three months, but the answer is much more complex than that. I met
the other day with Harvey Coates, who regularly tours the Kimberley to provide
ear treatments, assessments and sometimes surgery, where it is required,
largely through Broome Hospital. I talked to him about his desire to expand
that perhaps into something like a surgical bus, and I have arranged to have a
meeting in the very near future with the WA Country Health Service, which is
coordinating management of ear services across the state. In fact, it is
preparing an action plan to give me advice on how to deal with the numbers I
think are waiting behind these numbers. I think these numbers are fine as they
are, but there are a lot of people out there who are not being properly
assessed and diagnosed. Dr Marcus Atlas from the Ear Science Institute, who is
an expert in the field, is also involved. We are asking everyone to come
together within the next few weeks so I can discuss a plan of action for the
better management of ear services in Indigenous communities in the Pilbara and,
more particularly, in the Kimberley.
That is the answer to the question
I planned to answer; in response to the question about neuroscience surgery at
Fiona Stanley Hospital, we have a clinical planning group that is in the
process of planning how best to provide services across the state. Those
results will be made public in the very near future, and I will be pleased to
give the member access to that information when I get it.
I am afraid I did not get the
member's second question, so I will take it on notice and answer it in
due course.
just goes to show: you give them an inch and they take a mile! The member for
Alfred Cove and I had an agreement that the third question was the only
question she would ask; she has since added questions (1) and (2)! I have an
answer to (3) about children waiting for surgery, but I wanted to actually give
a longer answer than I have. The number waiting for medical treatment is 52 and
for surgical treatment, 53. The minimum waiting time is two months and the
maximum is three months, but the answer is much more complex than that. I met
the other day with Harvey Coates, who regularly tours the Kimberley to provide
ear treatments, assessments and sometimes surgery, where it is required,
largely through Broome Hospital. I talked to him about his desire to expand
that perhaps into something like a surgical bus, and I have arranged to have a
meeting in the very near future with the WA Country Health Service, which is
coordinating management of ear services across the state. In fact, it is
preparing an action plan to give me advice on how to deal with the numbers I
think are waiting behind these numbers. I think these numbers are fine as they
are, but there are a lot of people out there who are not being properly
assessed and diagnosed. Dr Marcus Atlas from the Ear Science Institute, who is
an expert in the field, is also involved. We are asking everyone to come
together within the next few weeks so I can discuss a plan of action for the
better management of ear services in Indigenous communities in the Pilbara and,
more particularly, in the Kimberley.
That is the answer to the question
I planned to answer; in response to the question about neuroscience surgery at
Fiona Stanley Hospital, we have a clinical planning group that is in the
process of planning how best to provide services across the state. Those
results will be made public in the very near future, and I will be pleased to
give the member access to that information when I get it.
I am afraid I did not get the
member's second question, so I will take it on notice and answer it in
due course.
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