❓ Mr. Cook questions the Minister for Health regarding the private operator of Peel Health Campus and their 'fit and proper character' requirement. The Minister deflects the initial accusation, defends the hospital's service quality, and clarifies the government's role in management oversight.
AnsweredQoN 651Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PEEL
HEALTH CAMPUS — HEALTH SOLUTIONS (WA)
651. Mr R.H. COOK to the Minister for Health:
I refer to comments by the minister
yesterday that he does not care about the conduct of the private operator of
Peel Health Campus and that it is none of his business.
(1) Can the
minister confirm that the health services agreement contract for the Peel
Health Campus has a requirement that the operator be of fit and proper
character?
(2) If so, has
the minister had cause to reflect on the significance of that clause in light
of the behaviour of the private operator?
HEALTH CAMPUS — HEALTH SOLUTIONS (WA)
651. Mr R.H. COOK to the Minister for Health:
I refer to comments by the minister
yesterday that he does not care about the conduct of the private operator of
Peel Health Campus and that it is none of his business.
(1) Can the
minister confirm that the health services agreement contract for the Peel
Health Campus has a requirement that the operator be of fit and proper
character?
(2) If so, has
the minister had cause to reflect on the significance of that clause in light
of the behaviour of the private operator?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
well remember in the last couple of weeks members on that side accusing us of
verballing them. I do not know whether the member has the copy of Hansard but, if he has, I would like him
to read it.
Mr
R.H. Cook : Would it be inappropriate to quote from it because it is
uncorrected?
Dr
K.D. HAMES : I would like the member to quote from it, because what he has
just said I said is not what I said. So, has he got it there?
Mr
R.H. Cook : Well, what would you like to say?
Dr
K.D. HAMES : You are wrong, member. Once again, you are wrong. You said that
I said I did not care about their behaviour. That is not what I said.
Mr R.H. Cook : You
don't care. You're hands off. You're just allowing it
all to run.
Dr K.D. HAMES :
Whatever the situation is, you have been exposed once again for not telling the
truth. If you want to quote me in this house, do it accurately.
Mr
R.H. Cook : I didn't quote you!
Dr
K.D. HAMES : How do the words say ''in this house you said''?
Mr
R.H. Cook : Yes. Well, I did, and I didn't say I quoted you. I told
you what you said.
Dr
K.D. HAMES : The reality is that there is —
The SPEAKER :
Members on both sides, I would like to hear the answer from the Minister for
Health. I do not want to hear your combined contributions to this answer.
Dr K.D. HAMES :
There are two issues. One is the service provided by Peel Health Campus to the
region. That is the critical area about which this government should be
concerned. The quality of the service coming out of that hospital is as good as
that of any other hospital within our system; indeed, in many cases it is
better. The staff are exceptionally good. I note that the member for Mandurah
has agreed in this house that they work exceptionally hard in providing that
good service. I will refer to a few of those things. Peel Health Campus is
exceeding all national elective surgery targets with almost 100 per cent of all
elective surgeries being completed within the recommended clinical time frame.
Not all hospitals are able to do that given the pressures they are under and
the huge demand that comes through the doors of our emergency departments. The
significant increase in demand means that not all hospitals are able to do
that. Peel Health Campus has done that with a rate of almost 100 per cent,
despite having had 45 000 ED presentations a year and 27 000 admissions. Those
figures are far in advance of what that hospital was expected to provide under
performer predictions at this particular stage of development. It also
participated, of course, in the four-hour rule, the national elective surgery
target. It is currently tacking at 78.7 per cent, which is above the
recommended national target for that hospital. It is providing a good service.
What I did say is that the management of that hospital is not an issue for
government. The member said in his quote that management needs to be a fit and
proper operator. That is true. To this stage, despite the difficulties it has
experienced in its management of some problems at a senior level, it cannot be
said that that is not the case. The opposition put convoluted arguments to the
government a week or two ago that connected together different things and
events that are unrelated. That misunderstanding of two separate events has
been repeated in The West Australian .
Peel Health Campus is providing the service that this state government requires
it to provide. We will continue to work to make sure that that hospital
provides absolutely first quality health services to this state. If it does
not, that is the time for us to take action.
well remember in the last couple of weeks members on that side accusing us of
verballing them. I do not know whether the member has the copy of Hansard but, if he has, I would like him
to read it.
Mr
R.H. Cook : Would it be inappropriate to quote from it because it is
uncorrected?
Dr
K.D. HAMES : I would like the member to quote from it, because what he has
just said I said is not what I said. So, has he got it there?
Mr
R.H. Cook : Well, what would you like to say?
Dr
K.D. HAMES : You are wrong, member. Once again, you are wrong. You said that
I said I did not care about their behaviour. That is not what I said.
Mr R.H. Cook : You
don't care. You're hands off. You're just allowing it
all to run.
Dr K.D. HAMES :
Whatever the situation is, you have been exposed once again for not telling the
truth. If you want to quote me in this house, do it accurately.
Mr
R.H. Cook : I didn't quote you!
Dr
K.D. HAMES : How do the words say ''in this house you said''?
Mr
R.H. Cook : Yes. Well, I did, and I didn't say I quoted you. I told
you what you said.
Dr
K.D. HAMES : The reality is that there is —
The SPEAKER :
Members on both sides, I would like to hear the answer from the Minister for
Health. I do not want to hear your combined contributions to this answer.
Dr K.D. HAMES :
There are two issues. One is the service provided by Peel Health Campus to the
region. That is the critical area about which this government should be
concerned. The quality of the service coming out of that hospital is as good as
that of any other hospital within our system; indeed, in many cases it is
better. The staff are exceptionally good. I note that the member for Mandurah
has agreed in this house that they work exceptionally hard in providing that
good service. I will refer to a few of those things. Peel Health Campus is
exceeding all national elective surgery targets with almost 100 per cent of all
elective surgeries being completed within the recommended clinical time frame.
Not all hospitals are able to do that given the pressures they are under and
the huge demand that comes through the doors of our emergency departments. The
significant increase in demand means that not all hospitals are able to do
that. Peel Health Campus has done that with a rate of almost 100 per cent,
despite having had 45 000 ED presentations a year and 27 000 admissions. Those
figures are far in advance of what that hospital was expected to provide under
performer predictions at this particular stage of development. It also
participated, of course, in the four-hour rule, the national elective surgery
target. It is currently tacking at 78.7 per cent, which is above the
recommended national target for that hospital. It is providing a good service.
What I did say is that the management of that hospital is not an issue for
government. The member said in his quote that management needs to be a fit and
proper operator. That is true. To this stage, despite the difficulties it has
experienced in its management of some problems at a senior level, it cannot be
said that that is not the case. The opposition put convoluted arguments to the
government a week or two ago that connected together different things and
events that are unrelated. That misunderstanding of two separate events has
been repeated in The West Australian .
Peel Health Campus is providing the service that this state government requires
it to provide. We will continue to work to make sure that that hospital
provides absolutely first quality health services to this state. If it does
not, that is the time for us to take action.
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