❓ Hon Giz Watson questions the adequacy of funding for women's health centres and the allocation of a one-off grant to Ishar Multicultural Women’s Health Centre, seeking clarification on funding sources, decision-making processes, and future service delivery in the Merriwa, Clarkson, and Butler areas. The Minister acknowledges inadequacies and outlines plans for a new strategy.
AnsweredQoN 4839Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to my question on notice No. 4516 asked in the Legislative Council on 16 August 2011, and I ask -
(1) What are the contracted outcomes for the core funding from the Department of Health provided to each of the women’s health centres?
(2) Does the Minister believe that an Agreement established in 1999 to provide funding to women’s health centres remains adequate to meet the needs of those centres and the changing demographics of their catchment areas in 2011?
(3) If yes to (2), on what basis?
(4) If no to (2), why not?
(5) Will the Minister review the 1999 agreement?
(6) In relation to the one off grant of $95,000 provided to Ishar Multicultural Women’s Health Centre (Ishar) for a basic health service and assessment of women’s ongoing needs in Merriwa, Clarkson and Butler areas, I seek clarification on the following -
(a) at the time of giving the grant, was the funding from the Department of Health’s budget for Women’s Health Centres fully allocated;
(b) if yes to (6)(a), where is the funding for the grant coming from;
(c) on what basis was the funding provided to Ishar rather than to other service providers operating in the northern corridor;
(d) what are the consequences of funding the one off grant to other programs and budgets in the Department of Health;
(e) did the Minister receive, or seek, advice from the Women’s Unit in the Department of Health with regard to what other services are delivered through Women’s Health Centres in the outer northern suburbs of the northern corridor;
(f) if yes to (6)(e), please provide details;
(g) how is the Minister or Department planning to meet the health needs of the general population of women in the Merriwa, Clarkson and Butler area who are at risk because they are marginalised and/or at risk of achieving sustainable health gains given that Ishar is a multicultural women’s health centre;
(h) referring to the answer to question (4)(b), which stated that parts of the grants were provided to assess the ongoing needs of women in Merriwa, Clarkson and Butler areas, who will be funded to deliver any services identified through that assessment process;
(i) when does the Minister expect the conclusion of this assessment; and
(j) what other information will be taken into account when considering future health services in the area?
(7) How does the Minister or Department plan to deliver programs to women in the Merriwa, Clarkson, and Butler areas to achieve sustainable health benefits?
(1) What are the contracted outcomes for the core funding from the Department of Health provided to each of the women’s health centres?
(2) Does the Minister believe that an Agreement established in 1999 to provide funding to women’s health centres remains adequate to meet the needs of those centres and the changing demographics of their catchment areas in 2011?
(3) If yes to (2), on what basis?
(4) If no to (2), why not?
(5) Will the Minister review the 1999 agreement?
(6) In relation to the one off grant of $95,000 provided to Ishar Multicultural Women’s Health Centre (Ishar) for a basic health service and assessment of women’s ongoing needs in Merriwa, Clarkson and Butler areas, I seek clarification on the following -
(a) at the time of giving the grant, was the funding from the Department of Health’s budget for Women’s Health Centres fully allocated;
(b) if yes to (6)(a), where is the funding for the grant coming from;
(c) on what basis was the funding provided to Ishar rather than to other service providers operating in the northern corridor;
(d) what are the consequences of funding the one off grant to other programs and budgets in the Department of Health;
(e) did the Minister receive, or seek, advice from the Women’s Unit in the Department of Health with regard to what other services are delivered through Women’s Health Centres in the outer northern suburbs of the northern corridor;
(f) if yes to (6)(e), please provide details;
(g) how is the Minister or Department planning to meet the health needs of the general population of women in the Merriwa, Clarkson and Butler area who are at risk because they are marginalised and/or at risk of achieving sustainable health gains given that Ishar is a multicultural women’s health centre;
(h) referring to the answer to question (4)(b), which stated that parts of the grants were provided to assess the ongoing needs of women in Merriwa, Clarkson and Butler areas, who will be funded to deliver any services identified through that assessment process;
(i) when does the Minister expect the conclusion of this assessment; and
(j) what other information will be taken into account when considering future health services in the area?
(7) How does the Minister or Department plan to deliver programs to women in the Merriwa, Clarkson, and Butler areas to achieve sustainable health benefits?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
22 November 2011
Responded by
Minister for Mental Health representing the Minister for Health
Response time
35 days
(1) Whilst the contracted outcomes vary slightly in each service agreement, the women's health centres provide most of the following core services that are funded by the Department of Health:
- Individual counselling for women;
- Clinical services provided by a nurse and/or allied health staff;
- Information and referral service;
- Therapeutic group sessions to prevent poor health;
- Self help group support;
- Health education group support to promote healthy choices;
- Network development with other local service providers; and
- Organisational development and capacity building through advocacy on women's health, consultations and professional development.
(2) No.
(3) Not applicable.
(4) Up until the end of the Public Health Outcomes Funding Agreement, there was no opportunity to review or influence funding amounts and the link to local changing demographics.
(5) The 1999 National Public Health Outcomes Funding Agreement is no longer in existence and the Department of Health now provides direct funding to the women's health centres. The draft "Western Australian Women's Health Strategy 2012-2015" will enable the development of a health funding model that will be aligned to identified priorities for women's health and work towards addressing the issues of specific population needs and long-term sustainability for women's health services.
(6)(a) The Women and Newborn Health Service receives a specific budget allocation from Department of Health for funding the 12 women's health centres core outcomes. Additional projects such as the Ishar one-off grant is sourced through other areas in the Department of Health.
(b) There are other discretionary resource sources within the Department of Health for various purposes or specific projects.
(c) Ishar has a long term history and experience in delivering services and meeting agreed outcomes to diverse vulnerable and high risk groups of women and therefore the project proposal was supported.
(d) Each year there are competing priorities for resources and the Department of Health balances its decisions on the priority needs at the time and potential outcomes for future, longer term planning and resourcing.
(e) Yes, the Minister sought and received advice from the Women's Health Policy and Projects Unit (WHP & PU), Women and Newborn Health Service, in regards to the services delivered through women's health centres in the northern corridor.
(f) The advice from WHP & PU was that the Unit maintained regular contact with the women's health centres; that both Ishar and Women's Health Works in Joondalup had expressed a need for services in the upper northern corridor; that both centres were already offering limited services to women in this region; and suggested that the two centres work together to develop a joint proposal.
(g) It is anticipated that the "Western Australian Women's Health Strategy 2012-2015" will be endorsed early next year. Principles and priorities in the current draft Strategy include seeking substantive equality, identifying best practice that will improve the overall health and wellbeing of women particularly targeting vulnerable groups. Future service funding and activities will be aligned with the Strategy and based on accurate data and research for women in Western Australia.
(h) At this point in time, no agencies have been identified to provide services as the assessment process is not yet complete. This will also be dependent on availability of resources.
(i) The one-off grant to Ishar is for a year and is due to end second half of 2012. It is expected that the assessment of the ongoing needs of women in Merriwa, Clarkson and Butler areas will be complete at this time.
(j) The Department of Health, through the "Western Australian Women's Health Strategy" will identify, collect and analyse a host of information for women living throughout Western Australia.
(7) The Department will consider all information obtained over time through the Strategy, and in the short term, it will include Ishar's assessment of ongoing need. Any decisions on delivery of new or existing programs for the Butler, Merriwa and Clarkson areas will be balanced against competing priorities to improve women's health throughout the entire State.
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- Individual counselling for women;
- Clinical services provided by a nurse and/or allied health staff;
- Information and referral service;
- Therapeutic group sessions to prevent poor health;
- Self help group support;
- Health education group support to promote healthy choices;
- Network development with other local service providers; and
- Organisational development and capacity building through advocacy on women's health, consultations and professional development.
(2) No.
(3) Not applicable.
(4) Up until the end of the Public Health Outcomes Funding Agreement, there was no opportunity to review or influence funding amounts and the link to local changing demographics.
(5) The 1999 National Public Health Outcomes Funding Agreement is no longer in existence and the Department of Health now provides direct funding to the women's health centres. The draft "Western Australian Women's Health Strategy 2012-2015" will enable the development of a health funding model that will be aligned to identified priorities for women's health and work towards addressing the issues of specific population needs and long-term sustainability for women's health services.
(6)(a) The Women and Newborn Health Service receives a specific budget allocation from Department of Health for funding the 12 women's health centres core outcomes. Additional projects such as the Ishar one-off grant is sourced through other areas in the Department of Health.
(b) There are other discretionary resource sources within the Department of Health for various purposes or specific projects.
(c) Ishar has a long term history and experience in delivering services and meeting agreed outcomes to diverse vulnerable and high risk groups of women and therefore the project proposal was supported.
(d) Each year there are competing priorities for resources and the Department of Health balances its decisions on the priority needs at the time and potential outcomes for future, longer term planning and resourcing.
(e) Yes, the Minister sought and received advice from the Women's Health Policy and Projects Unit (WHP & PU), Women and Newborn Health Service, in regards to the services delivered through women's health centres in the northern corridor.
(f) The advice from WHP & PU was that the Unit maintained regular contact with the women's health centres; that both Ishar and Women's Health Works in Joondalup had expressed a need for services in the upper northern corridor; that both centres were already offering limited services to women in this region; and suggested that the two centres work together to develop a joint proposal.
(g) It is anticipated that the "Western Australian Women's Health Strategy 2012-2015" will be endorsed early next year. Principles and priorities in the current draft Strategy include seeking substantive equality, identifying best practice that will improve the overall health and wellbeing of women particularly targeting vulnerable groups. Future service funding and activities will be aligned with the Strategy and based on accurate data and research for women in Western Australia.
(h) At this point in time, no agencies have been identified to provide services as the assessment process is not yet complete. This will also be dependent on availability of resources.
(i) The one-off grant to Ishar is for a year and is due to end second half of 2012. It is expected that the assessment of the ongoing needs of women in Merriwa, Clarkson and Butler areas will be complete at this time.
(j) The Department of Health, through the "Western Australian Women's Health Strategy" will identify, collect and analyse a host of information for women living throughout Western Australia.
(7) The Department will consider all information obtained over time through the Strategy, and in the short term, it will include Ishar's assessment of ongoing need. Any decisions on delivery of new or existing programs for the Butler, Merriwa and Clarkson areas will be balanced against competing priorities to improve women's health throughout the entire State.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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