❓ A Labor MP asks about the impact of health infrastructure investment on hospital bed availability. The Minister responds by highlighting increased bed numbers, criticising the opposition's lack of health policy ideas, and emphasising investment in alternative care models.
AnsweredQoN 755Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
HEALTH — INFRASTRUCTURE
755. Mr S.A. MILLMAN to the Minister for Health:
I refer to the Cook Labor
government's record investment in health infrastructure across Western Australia.
Can the minister advise the house how the
significant investment is allowing for the delivery of more beds in our
hospitals , and can the minister advise how this ongoing investment will
ensure that Western Australians get the best access to hospital care when they
need it?
755. Mr S.A. MILLMAN to the Minister for Health:
I refer to the Cook Labor
government's record investment in health infrastructure across Western Australia.
Can the minister advise the house how the
significant investment is allowing for the delivery of more beds in our
hospitals , and can the minister advise how this ongoing investment will
ensure that Western Australians get the best access to hospital care when they
need it?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Mount Lawley
for his question.
It has to be said that we are often
criticised in this place, particularly by the Leader of the Liberal Party, who
herself has not put forward one single practical policy idea in the health
portfolio for three years—not one idea for three years in the health portfolio. Recently released
data for 2021–22 shows that Western Australia had the largest increase in the number of average available hospital beds of any state or territory in
the nation. Even better, that was the second year in a row that we had the
largest increase in the number of beds. This new data demonstrates that we are one of only three jurisdictions to increase
the number of hospital beds per capita, even though Western Australia's populations continues to grow. We are still increasing the number of beds per
capita and have had the largest increase in
two years. That is because of our significant investment in health. In the past
12 months we put 530 b eds into the health system. That is the equivalent
of a tertiary hospital. Normally, it would take years to build a tertiary
hospital. We have done that in the last 12 to 18 months. They are staffed and
funded into the future. Also, we are not finished. The last budget demonstrated
our commitment by adding a further 600 beds into the system, including mental health beds. In 2017–18, we
inherited the lowest number of beds per capita and we have rectified that
situation with our record investment so that we are leading the pack
with the growth of beds in Western Australia.
Of course, the system is much more
than just beds. Beds are important when people need a bed, but we are also
investing in important community and virtual models of care to provide people
with more options to receive care outside of
going to hospital when appropriate. For example, older frail adults could see a
specialist quickly, be treated and sent home rather than going into a hospital
and spending days and days, sometimes weeks, inside a tertiary hospital. Of
course, the Liberals will continue to criticise us because it will never be
enough. It is actually incredible that within the constraint pipeline that we
are experiencing at the moment, we have put on all those beds and will continue
to make a commitment, and not focus on puerile attacks and criticism. We will
continue to get on with the job of delivering for Western Australian patients.
for his question.
It has to be said that we are often
criticised in this place, particularly by the Leader of the Liberal Party, who
herself has not put forward one single practical policy idea in the health
portfolio for three years—not one idea for three years in the health portfolio. Recently released
data for 2021–22 shows that Western Australia had the largest increase in the number of average available hospital beds of any state or territory in
the nation. Even better, that was the second year in a row that we had the
largest increase in the number of beds. This new data demonstrates that we are one of only three jurisdictions to increase
the number of hospital beds per capita, even though Western Australia's populations continues to grow. We are still increasing the number of beds per
capita and have had the largest increase in
two years. That is because of our significant investment in health. In the past
12 months we put 530 b eds into the health system. That is the equivalent
of a tertiary hospital. Normally, it would take years to build a tertiary
hospital. We have done that in the last 12 to 18 months. They are staffed and
funded into the future. Also, we are not finished. The last budget demonstrated
our commitment by adding a further 600 beds into the system, including mental health beds. In 2017–18, we
inherited the lowest number of beds per capita and we have rectified that
situation with our record investment so that we are leading the pack
with the growth of beds in Western Australia.
Of course, the system is much more
than just beds. Beds are important when people need a bed, but we are also
investing in important community and virtual models of care to provide people
with more options to receive care outside of
going to hospital when appropriate. For example, older frail adults could see a
specialist quickly, be treated and sent home rather than going into a hospital
and spending days and days, sometimes weeks, inside a tertiary hospital. Of
course, the Liberals will continue to criticise us because it will never be
enough. It is actually incredible that within the constraint pipeline that we
are experiencing at the moment, we have put on all those beds and will continue
to make a commitment, and not focus on puerile attacks and criticism. We will
continue to get on with the job of delivering for Western Australian patients.
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