❓ Mr. Cook questions the lack of funding for the Quadriplegic Centre redevelopment following a patient injury. The Minister acknowledges the need for improvements, citing previous large-scale health investments and a shift towards community care, suggesting a revised, less costly plan is being considered.
AnsweredQoN 431Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
QUADRIPLEGIC CENTRE — REDEVELOPMENT
431. Mr R.H. COOK to the Minister for
Health:
I refer to the recent accident at
the Quadriplegic Centre that saw patient Greg Evans receive horrific burns as a
result of faulty equipment and the repeated calls of the Quadriplegic Centre
board of management since 2009 for the centre to be upgraded or rebuilt.
(1) Can the
minister confirm that no money has been set aside in this year's budget
for the redevelopment of the facility?
(2) Why has the government failed to
provide for these most vulnerable patients?
431. Mr R.H. COOK to the Minister for
Health:
I refer to the recent accident at
the Quadriplegic Centre that saw patient Greg Evans receive horrific burns as a
result of faulty equipment and the repeated calls of the Quadriplegic Centre
board of management since 2009 for the centre to be upgraded or rebuilt.
(1) Can the
minister confirm that no money has been set aside in this year's budget
for the redevelopment of the facility?
(2) Why has the government failed to
provide for these most vulnerable patients?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2)
Yes, I am aware of the patient who was burnt, as I should be because not only
did we discuss it significantly at the time it occurred, but also the member
talked about it last night. How could I not be aware of it? Perhaps the member
has forgotten his speech already.
Mr M. McGowan :
That wasn't his question.
Dr K.D. HAMES :
Yes, it was.
The SPEAKER :
Through the Chair, please.
Dr K.D. HAMES :
Yes, it was. The member got it wrong. Anyway, I am aware of the problems at the
Quadriplegic Centre. We worked for some period to try to sort that out, as the
member discussed in his speech last night. The reality is that those services
are very poor and we need to work to try to fix them. Things have changed. A
business case that was in the order of $97 billion from the top of my head was
put forward in the past to do a total rebuild. As members know, we were funding
$2 billion for the Fiona Stanley Hospital, $1.2 billion for the children's
hospital and $180 million for our share of the Midland Public Hospital. They
are huge expenditures by government on health services, as well as the rest of
the projects across the state. I have been through them so many times that I do
not think I need to do it again.
Two things have happened. We recently introduced a fee that
will allow people who have been catastrophically injured in car accidents to
make a claim. Their care will be funded through that arrangement. In the
future, that will reduce the number of people who need to stay in that centre
long term. They will be much better managed in the community. There has been a
significant reduction in the number of patients who are there at any one time.
A certain group are moving through. I do not have the figures with me but there
are 50-odd altogether and 20-odd are moving through at any one time. They will
return to their homes or go elsewhere. A smaller core group of 30-something
people need long-term care. We are going back and looking at that model, seeing
how we can perhaps promote getting more people into community care. We will definitely
need a facility to cater for the long-term care of those people who have
nowhere else to go and who have been in that facility for a long period. That
should cost significantly less than the amount of money I mentioned at the
start of my answer. We are looking at that, talking about how we might do it,
looking at land opportunities and how we can provide leverage for land that is
available and looking at different models of funding to try to come up with a
new way to fund this critically important centre.
Yes, I am aware of the patient who was burnt, as I should be because not only
did we discuss it significantly at the time it occurred, but also the member
talked about it last night. How could I not be aware of it? Perhaps the member
has forgotten his speech already.
Mr M. McGowan :
That wasn't his question.
Dr K.D. HAMES :
Yes, it was.
The SPEAKER :
Through the Chair, please.
Dr K.D. HAMES :
Yes, it was. The member got it wrong. Anyway, I am aware of the problems at the
Quadriplegic Centre. We worked for some period to try to sort that out, as the
member discussed in his speech last night. The reality is that those services
are very poor and we need to work to try to fix them. Things have changed. A
business case that was in the order of $97 billion from the top of my head was
put forward in the past to do a total rebuild. As members know, we were funding
$2 billion for the Fiona Stanley Hospital, $1.2 billion for the children's
hospital and $180 million for our share of the Midland Public Hospital. They
are huge expenditures by government on health services, as well as the rest of
the projects across the state. I have been through them so many times that I do
not think I need to do it again.
Two things have happened. We recently introduced a fee that
will allow people who have been catastrophically injured in car accidents to
make a claim. Their care will be funded through that arrangement. In the
future, that will reduce the number of people who need to stay in that centre
long term. They will be much better managed in the community. There has been a
significant reduction in the number of patients who are there at any one time.
A certain group are moving through. I do not have the figures with me but there
are 50-odd altogether and 20-odd are moving through at any one time. They will
return to their homes or go elsewhere. A smaller core group of 30-something
people need long-term care. We are going back and looking at that model, seeing
how we can perhaps promote getting more people into community care. We will definitely
need a facility to cater for the long-term care of those people who have
nowhere else to go and who have been in that facility for a long period. That
should cost significantly less than the amount of money I mentioned at the
start of my answer. We are looking at that, talking about how we might do it,
looking at land opportunities and how we can provide leverage for land that is
available and looking at different models of funding to try to come up with a
new way to fund this critically important centre.
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