❓ Ms. Mettam questions the Minister for Health about the number of child health centres closing in the southern suburbs due to a new approach. The Minister denies closures or FTE reductions, stating that some leases won't be renewed due to poor condition, and a hub-and-spoke model will be implemented for better multidisciplinary care.
AnsweredQoN 536Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CHILD HEALTH CENTRES —
SOUTHERN SUBURBS
536. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Health:
I have a supplementary question. I note
there will not be 13 closures but how many centres will be closing as a result
of this new approach?
SOUTHERN SUBURBS
536. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Health:
I have a supplementary question. I note
there will not be 13 closures but how many centres will be closing as a result
of this new approach?
AnswerView source ↗
We
are not reducing or closing services and there will be no reduction in FTE.
There is no reduction in services or FTE.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
Ms
A. SANDERSON : I have just said
where those sites are crumbling around the ears of those important healthcare workers, leases will not be renewed on those sites. We are working with the
community on what that will look like. The best possible care for those —
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order please, member.
Ms A. SANDERSON : For those
with complex needs, the best possible care is a multidisciplinary approach. It
is a well-accepted model of care and that is why the government announced a number
of years ago that for community-based services like child development services
and the child and adolescent mental health service, a hub-and-spoke model is
the best possible model. It was well canvassed in the Ministerial Taskforce
into Public Mental Health Services for Infants, Children and Adolescents aged 0–18
years in Western Australia. That was a recommendation from the ICA Taskforce.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order please,
members.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please,
Leader of the Liberal Party and others who are interjecting.
Ms S. Winton interjected.
The SPEAKER : Minister, I was
calling to order someone on the other side of the chamber. When I am speaking,
the last thing I expect is for someone to interject on me. Minister for Health.
Ms
A. SANDERSON : The best possible
model of care is having a multidisciplinary approach and a hub-and-spoke model, which means there will be centres in
neighbourhoods and there will be larger centres in districts like Murdoch that will support those centres and go out to those centres. They will be the
best possible facilities and newer facilities so they have the consultation
rooms they need to do consultations. At the moment, some of them have one consultation room so they cannot get an
occupational therapist, a speech therapist and a paediatrician there. They are not fit for purpose. We are upgrading this really important infrastructure
in what is a growing area of need in the community. The Leader of the Liberal
Party should be happy about that.
are not reducing or closing services and there will be no reduction in FTE.
There is no reduction in services or FTE.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
Ms
A. SANDERSON : I have just said
where those sites are crumbling around the ears of those important healthcare workers, leases will not be renewed on those sites. We are working with the
community on what that will look like. The best possible care for those —
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order please, member.
Ms A. SANDERSON : For those
with complex needs, the best possible care is a multidisciplinary approach. It
is a well-accepted model of care and that is why the government announced a number
of years ago that for community-based services like child development services
and the child and adolescent mental health service, a hub-and-spoke model is
the best possible model. It was well canvassed in the Ministerial Taskforce
into Public Mental Health Services for Infants, Children and Adolescents aged 0–18
years in Western Australia. That was a recommendation from the ICA Taskforce.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order please,
members.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please,
Leader of the Liberal Party and others who are interjecting.
Ms S. Winton interjected.
The SPEAKER : Minister, I was
calling to order someone on the other side of the chamber. When I am speaking,
the last thing I expect is for someone to interject on me. Minister for Health.
Ms
A. SANDERSON : The best possible
model of care is having a multidisciplinary approach and a hub-and-spoke model, which means there will be centres in
neighbourhoods and there will be larger centres in districts like Murdoch that will support those centres and go out to those centres. They will be the
best possible facilities and newer facilities so they have the consultation
rooms they need to do consultations. At the moment, some of them have one consultation room so they cannot get an
occupational therapist, a speech therapist and a paediatrician there. They are not fit for purpose. We are upgrading this really important infrastructure
in what is a growing area of need in the community. The Leader of the Liberal
Party should be happy about that.
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