❓ Ms. Mettam questions the Minister for Health about the status of a residential eating disorder treatment facility, given federal funding commitments. The Minister defends the government's focus on community-based programs and criticizes the adequacy and consultation process of the federal funding.
AnsweredQoN 221Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
RESIDENTIAL EATING
DISORDER TREATMENT FACILITY
221. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Health:
I refer to the Four Corners program aired last month that detailed how underprepared Western Australia's
health system is to deal with eating disorders and that the former coalition
federal government committed funding for a WA residential eating disorder
centre four years ago. Given that the federal Minister for Health and Aged
Care, Mark Butler, has now written to the minister seeking clarity on her
commitment to completing this facility, when will the minister's
government commence this crucially important project?
DISORDER TREATMENT FACILITY
221. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Health:
I refer to the Four Corners program aired last month that detailed how underprepared Western Australia's
health system is to deal with eating disorders and that the former coalition
federal government committed funding for a WA residential eating disorder
centre four years ago. Given that the federal Minister for Health and Aged
Care, Mark Butler, has now written to the minister seeking clarity on her
commitment to completing this facility, when will the minister's
government commence this crucially important project?
AnswerView source ↗
As I have outlined before, this
government has made significant investment in supporting community-based
services for adults and children experiencing eating disorders. It is crippling
for families. It is a terrible experience, both
physically and mentally, for those young people in particular who are
experiencing eating disorders. All evidence shows that the best work is done
early on and in supporting people in the community. Where we provide support to
people in place, in situ, we are able to avoid lengthy hospital stays. That is
why this government committed $31 million to expand the community-based eating
disorder treatment program. That is rolling out in south metro and north metro
as we speak and supporting people. We also secured just over $8 million for
East Metropolitan Health Service to roll out a similar service. As I have laid
out previously, the $4 million commitment from the member for Canning made at a
federal election with absolutely no consultation with the state, did not
consider the state's model of care and it did not consider best
practice or an evidence-based model of care. A commitment of $4 million is not
enough to pay for the car park. It is not a genuine commitment. I put it to the
member for Vasse that that is not a genuine commitment, and I put it to the
member for Canning. That is not a genuine commitment to resolve the complex
issues affecting the whole family. The member must be privy to correspondence
from the federal Minister for Health and Aged Care to me that I have not seen.
Ms L. Mettam : You are not
working with him?
Ms A. SANDERSON : I have
never said that he wrote to me. We are in ongoing discussion about how to best
use that $4 million. My preferred approach
is for it to be used on evidence-based models of care that we know will support families and get outcomes for people and will not just pay for a building.
government has made significant investment in supporting community-based
services for adults and children experiencing eating disorders. It is crippling
for families. It is a terrible experience, both
physically and mentally, for those young people in particular who are
experiencing eating disorders. All evidence shows that the best work is done
early on and in supporting people in the community. Where we provide support to
people in place, in situ, we are able to avoid lengthy hospital stays. That is
why this government committed $31 million to expand the community-based eating
disorder treatment program. That is rolling out in south metro and north metro
as we speak and supporting people. We also secured just over $8 million for
East Metropolitan Health Service to roll out a similar service. As I have laid
out previously, the $4 million commitment from the member for Canning made at a
federal election with absolutely no consultation with the state, did not
consider the state's model of care and it did not consider best
practice or an evidence-based model of care. A commitment of $4 million is not
enough to pay for the car park. It is not a genuine commitment. I put it to the
member for Vasse that that is not a genuine commitment, and I put it to the
member for Canning. That is not a genuine commitment to resolve the complex
issues affecting the whole family. The member must be privy to correspondence
from the federal Minister for Health and Aged Care to me that I have not seen.
Ms L. Mettam : You are not
working with him?
Ms A. SANDERSON : I have
never said that he wrote to me. We are in ongoing discussion about how to best
use that $4 million. My preferred approach
is for it to be used on evidence-based models of care that we know will support families and get outcomes for people and will not just pay for a building.
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