❓ A parliamentary question on notice addresses concerns about ambulance ramping and its potential risk to patient lives, referencing expert opinions and seeking the Minister's admission of the problem's severity. The Minister's response deflects, citing departmental advice and praising hospital staff.
AnsweredQoN 1046Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer the minister to the comments of Mr Bob Barker of St John Ambulance on Channel Seven news last night that patients’ lives are being put at risk by the alarming increase in the rate of ambulance bypass and ramping. He said that there is no doubt the ambulance service is stretched to the limit and that we are taking longer to get to priority 1 or urgent cases. As the minister knows, they are life-threatening cases. (1) On what basis did the minister claim yesterday that there is no justification for suggesting that anyone is at risk, when experts clearly believe lives are at risk? (2) Is the minister aware that, since the beginning of this financial year, there have been nearly three incidents per day of ambulance ramping at our metropolitan teaching hospitals? (3) Will the minister now admit that unless urgent action is taken, lives could be at risk in Western Australia? Mr J.A. McGINTY
AnswerView source ↗
(1) Advice from the Department of Health. (2) No. (3) I heard the member opposite congratulate the Government yesterday during question time when, in response to a question he asked, I advised him about the extra beds that will be opened in hospitals to deal with the very difficult situation confronting our hospitals, particularly our emergency departments. I was remiss yesterday when I did not extend in this House a vote of thanks to the doctors and nurses at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital who took on an extraordinary workload on Monday this week - well above what they were rightfully expected to do - with a remarkable degree of professionalism in the circumstances. I am sure everybody in the House extends their congratulations to those staff for dealing very well with a difficult situation.
(1) On what basis did the minister claim yesterday that there is no justification for suggesting that anyone is at risk, when experts clearly believe lives are at risk? (2) Is the minister aware that, since the beginning of this financial year, there have been nearly three incidents per day of ambulance ramping at our metropolitan teaching hospitals? (3) Will the minister now admit that unless urgent action is taken, lives could be at risk in Western Australia? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1) Advice from the Department of Health. (2) No. (3) I heard the member opposite congratulate the Government yesterday during question time when, in response to a question he asked, I advised him about the extra beds that will be opened in hospitals to deal with the very difficult situation confronting our hospitals, particularly our emergency departments. I was remiss yesterday when I did not extend in this House a vote of thanks to the doctors and nurses at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital who took on an extraordinary workload on Monday this week - well above what they were rightfully expected to do - with a remarkable degree of professionalism in the circumstances. I am sure everybody in the House extends their congratulations to those staff for dealing very well with a difficult situation.
(2) Is the minister aware that, since the beginning of this financial year, there have been nearly three incidents per day of ambulance ramping at our metropolitan teaching hospitals? (3) Will the minister now admit that unless urgent action is taken, lives could be at risk in Western Australia? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1) Advice from the Department of Health. (2) No. (3) I heard the member opposite congratulate the Government yesterday during question time when, in response to a question he asked, I advised him about the extra beds that will be opened in hospitals to deal with the very difficult situation confronting our hospitals, particularly our emergency departments. I was remiss yesterday when I did not extend in this House a vote of thanks to the doctors and nurses at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital who took on an extraordinary workload on Monday this week - well above what they were rightfully expected to do - with a remarkable degree of professionalism in the circumstances. I am sure everybody in the House extends their congratulations to those staff for dealing very well with a difficult situation.
(3) Will the minister now admit that unless urgent action is taken, lives could be at risk in Western Australia? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1) Advice from the Department of Health. (2) No. (3) I heard the member opposite congratulate the Government yesterday during question time when, in response to a question he asked, I advised him about the extra beds that will be opened in hospitals to deal with the very difficult situation confronting our hospitals, particularly our emergency departments. I was remiss yesterday when I did not extend in this House a vote of thanks to the doctors and nurses at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital who took on an extraordinary workload on Monday this week - well above what they were rightfully expected to do - with a remarkable degree of professionalism in the circumstances. I am sure everybody in the House extends their congratulations to those staff for dealing very well with a difficult situation.
Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1) Advice from the Department of Health. (2) No. (3) I heard the member opposite congratulate the Government yesterday during question time when, in response to a question he asked, I advised him about the extra beds that will be opened in hospitals to deal with the very difficult situation confronting our hospitals, particularly our emergency departments. I was remiss yesterday when I did not extend in this House a vote of thanks to the doctors and nurses at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital who took on an extraordinary workload on Monday this week - well above what they were rightfully expected to do - with a remarkable degree of professionalism in the circumstances. I am sure everybody in the House extends their congratulations to those staff for dealing very well with a difficult situation.
(1) Advice from the Department of Health. (2) No. (3) I heard the member opposite congratulate the Government yesterday during question time when, in response to a question he asked, I advised him about the extra beds that will be opened in hospitals to deal with the very difficult situation confronting our hospitals, particularly our emergency departments. I was remiss yesterday when I did not extend in this House a vote of thanks to the doctors and nurses at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital who took on an extraordinary workload on Monday this week - well above what they were rightfully expected to do - with a remarkable degree of professionalism in the circumstances. I am sure everybody in the House extends their congratulations to those staff for dealing very well with a difficult situation.
(2) No. (3) I heard the member opposite congratulate the Government yesterday during question time when, in response to a question he asked, I advised him about the extra beds that will be opened in hospitals to deal with the very difficult situation confronting our hospitals, particularly our emergency departments. I was remiss yesterday when I did not extend in this House a vote of thanks to the doctors and nurses at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital who took on an extraordinary workload on Monday this week - well above what they were rightfully expected to do - with a remarkable degree of professionalism in the circumstances. I am sure everybody in the House extends their congratulations to those staff for dealing very well with a difficult situation.
(3) I heard the member opposite congratulate the Government yesterday during question time when, in response to a question he asked, I advised him about the extra beds that will be opened in hospitals to deal with the very difficult situation confronting our hospitals, particularly our emergency departments. I was remiss yesterday when I did not extend in this House a vote of thanks to the doctors and nurses at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital who took on an extraordinary workload on Monday this week - well above what they were rightfully expected to do - with a remarkable degree of professionalism in the circumstances. I am sure everybody in the House extends their congratulations to those staff for dealing very well with a difficult situation.
(1) On what basis did the minister claim yesterday that there is no justification for suggesting that anyone is at risk, when experts clearly believe lives are at risk? (2) Is the minister aware that, since the beginning of this financial year, there have been nearly three incidents per day of ambulance ramping at our metropolitan teaching hospitals? (3) Will the minister now admit that unless urgent action is taken, lives could be at risk in Western Australia? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1) Advice from the Department of Health. (2) No. (3) I heard the member opposite congratulate the Government yesterday during question time when, in response to a question he asked, I advised him about the extra beds that will be opened in hospitals to deal with the very difficult situation confronting our hospitals, particularly our emergency departments. I was remiss yesterday when I did not extend in this House a vote of thanks to the doctors and nurses at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital who took on an extraordinary workload on Monday this week - well above what they were rightfully expected to do - with a remarkable degree of professionalism in the circumstances. I am sure everybody in the House extends their congratulations to those staff for dealing very well with a difficult situation.
(2) Is the minister aware that, since the beginning of this financial year, there have been nearly three incidents per day of ambulance ramping at our metropolitan teaching hospitals? (3) Will the minister now admit that unless urgent action is taken, lives could be at risk in Western Australia? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1) Advice from the Department of Health. (2) No. (3) I heard the member opposite congratulate the Government yesterday during question time when, in response to a question he asked, I advised him about the extra beds that will be opened in hospitals to deal with the very difficult situation confronting our hospitals, particularly our emergency departments. I was remiss yesterday when I did not extend in this House a vote of thanks to the doctors and nurses at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital who took on an extraordinary workload on Monday this week - well above what they were rightfully expected to do - with a remarkable degree of professionalism in the circumstances. I am sure everybody in the House extends their congratulations to those staff for dealing very well with a difficult situation.
(3) Will the minister now admit that unless urgent action is taken, lives could be at risk in Western Australia? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1) Advice from the Department of Health. (2) No. (3) I heard the member opposite congratulate the Government yesterday during question time when, in response to a question he asked, I advised him about the extra beds that will be opened in hospitals to deal with the very difficult situation confronting our hospitals, particularly our emergency departments. I was remiss yesterday when I did not extend in this House a vote of thanks to the doctors and nurses at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital who took on an extraordinary workload on Monday this week - well above what they were rightfully expected to do - with a remarkable degree of professionalism in the circumstances. I am sure everybody in the House extends their congratulations to those staff for dealing very well with a difficult situation.
Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1) Advice from the Department of Health. (2) No. (3) I heard the member opposite congratulate the Government yesterday during question time when, in response to a question he asked, I advised him about the extra beds that will be opened in hospitals to deal with the very difficult situation confronting our hospitals, particularly our emergency departments. I was remiss yesterday when I did not extend in this House a vote of thanks to the doctors and nurses at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital who took on an extraordinary workload on Monday this week - well above what they were rightfully expected to do - with a remarkable degree of professionalism in the circumstances. I am sure everybody in the House extends their congratulations to those staff for dealing very well with a difficult situation.
(1) Advice from the Department of Health. (2) No. (3) I heard the member opposite congratulate the Government yesterday during question time when, in response to a question he asked, I advised him about the extra beds that will be opened in hospitals to deal with the very difficult situation confronting our hospitals, particularly our emergency departments. I was remiss yesterday when I did not extend in this House a vote of thanks to the doctors and nurses at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital who took on an extraordinary workload on Monday this week - well above what they were rightfully expected to do - with a remarkable degree of professionalism in the circumstances. I am sure everybody in the House extends their congratulations to those staff for dealing very well with a difficult situation.
(2) No. (3) I heard the member opposite congratulate the Government yesterday during question time when, in response to a question he asked, I advised him about the extra beds that will be opened in hospitals to deal with the very difficult situation confronting our hospitals, particularly our emergency departments. I was remiss yesterday when I did not extend in this House a vote of thanks to the doctors and nurses at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital who took on an extraordinary workload on Monday this week - well above what they were rightfully expected to do - with a remarkable degree of professionalism in the circumstances. I am sure everybody in the House extends their congratulations to those staff for dealing very well with a difficult situation.
(3) I heard the member opposite congratulate the Government yesterday during question time when, in response to a question he asked, I advised him about the extra beds that will be opened in hospitals to deal with the very difficult situation confronting our hospitals, particularly our emergency departments. I was remiss yesterday when I did not extend in this House a vote of thanks to the doctors and nurses at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital who took on an extraordinary workload on Monday this week - well above what they were rightfully expected to do - with a remarkable degree of professionalism in the circumstances. I am sure everybody in the House extends their congratulations to those staff for dealing very well with a difficult situation.
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