❓ Ms Mettam questions the Minister for Health about addressing overcrowded emergency departments and ambulance ramping, given state spending on other projects. The Minister responds by highlighting significant investments in health since 2021, including increased funding, beds, and staffing.
AnsweredQoN 22Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Emergency departments—Ambulance ramping
22. Ms Libby Mettam to the Minister for Health :
(1) At a time when the state government is
spending record amounts on ghost trains, will the minister commit to securing
the necessary funding in the June state budget needed to fix our overcrowded
emergency departments and address the record levels of ambulance ramping?
(2) If so, when can we
anticipate to see a reduction in the shocking ramping levels we have become accustomed
to under the Cook Labor government?
22. Ms Libby Mettam to the Minister for Health :
(1) At a time when the state government is
spending record amounts on ghost trains, will the minister commit to securing
the necessary funding in the June state budget needed to fix our overcrowded
emergency departments and address the record levels of ambulance ramping?
(2) If so, when can we
anticipate to see a reduction in the shocking ramping levels we have become accustomed
to under the Cook Labor government?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) Thank you, member, for the
question. One of the things it is important to recognise when discussing the
health portfolio is that we have put in an additional $14.3 billion into health
since 2021. Therefore, the member has really made a false equivalence there. We
are putting record amounts of money into our health system. We have put in 800 beds
since 2021 and there are hundreds more in the pipeline to come. We have
increased staffing by 30% since 2021. We have made a number of election
commitments at this election that will take our plans even further forward,
like the investments into upgrading the Royal Perth Hospital emergency
department and upgrading Midland's emergency department. Therefore, our work is
ongoing in the health portfolio. As I outlined yesterday, there is a focus on
addressing issues associated with ramping. I explained that a number of factors
are contributing to that: the ageing population, the fact that we have a record
number of people moving to Western Australia and a significantly growing
population—and the increase in complexity when people present at
emergency departments—these are all things that are having an impact on
ramping. We have a focus on this, which is why we are making investments right
across the system that are going to make a difference. As I outlined yesterday,
we are doing a range of things that will take our work under the former
Minister for Health in this area even further.
I have talked
about more beds. I have talked about upgrades we are doing to the emergency
departments. We are also modernising the system through the WA Virtual
Emergency Department. We have already put it in place. We have a commitment from
this election to put another $36 million into that system, and I am very
excited to see the work that we will do. We have put in place the State Health
Operations Centre, a really important part of making our system run as a
system. We are delivering more care in the community, through Hospital in the
Home, and we are investing $140 million in election commitments into aged care.
Therefore, there has been a significant amount of money going into the health
system.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Minister! Members! Premier! Leader of the
Opposition!
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Premier! Treasurer!
Members, when I
stand, you stop talking. It does not matter what you are doing, you cease—okay?
The minister is on her feet trying to respond to the question. Question time is
drawing out again, and we will have to drag it back next time. If you are lucky,
you might get one more question each. Carry on, minister.
Ms Meredith Hammat: Thank you, Mr Speaker.
As I was saying, we
are doing a range of work not just focusing on emergency department, but
clearly that is an important focus for us. As I said, we have put in $14.3 billion
of new funding since 2021, 800 more beds with hundreds more coming and a 30%
increase in staff with 4,400 more nurses and 1,800 more doctors. We are doing
an incredible amount of work. I am really proud to be a part of a government
that takes our commitment to the health of Western Australians seriously, and I
am really looking forward to delivering outcomes for these people.
question. One of the things it is important to recognise when discussing the
health portfolio is that we have put in an additional $14.3 billion into health
since 2021. Therefore, the member has really made a false equivalence there. We
are putting record amounts of money into our health system. We have put in 800 beds
since 2021 and there are hundreds more in the pipeline to come. We have
increased staffing by 30% since 2021. We have made a number of election
commitments at this election that will take our plans even further forward,
like the investments into upgrading the Royal Perth Hospital emergency
department and upgrading Midland's emergency department. Therefore, our work is
ongoing in the health portfolio. As I outlined yesterday, there is a focus on
addressing issues associated with ramping. I explained that a number of factors
are contributing to that: the ageing population, the fact that we have a record
number of people moving to Western Australia and a significantly growing
population—and the increase in complexity when people present at
emergency departments—these are all things that are having an impact on
ramping. We have a focus on this, which is why we are making investments right
across the system that are going to make a difference. As I outlined yesterday,
we are doing a range of things that will take our work under the former
Minister for Health in this area even further.
I have talked
about more beds. I have talked about upgrades we are doing to the emergency
departments. We are also modernising the system through the WA Virtual
Emergency Department. We have already put it in place. We have a commitment from
this election to put another $36 million into that system, and I am very
excited to see the work that we will do. We have put in place the State Health
Operations Centre, a really important part of making our system run as a
system. We are delivering more care in the community, through Hospital in the
Home, and we are investing $140 million in election commitments into aged care.
Therefore, there has been a significant amount of money going into the health
system.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Minister! Members! Premier! Leader of the
Opposition!
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Premier! Treasurer!
Members, when I
stand, you stop talking. It does not matter what you are doing, you cease—okay?
The minister is on her feet trying to respond to the question. Question time is
drawing out again, and we will have to drag it back next time. If you are lucky,
you might get one more question each. Carry on, minister.
Ms Meredith Hammat: Thank you, Mr Speaker.
As I was saying, we
are doing a range of work not just focusing on emergency department, but
clearly that is an important focus for us. As I said, we have put in $14.3 billion
of new funding since 2021, 800 more beds with hundreds more coming and a 30%
increase in staff with 4,400 more nurses and 1,800 more doctors. We are doing
an incredible amount of work. I am really proud to be a part of a government
that takes our commitment to the health of Western Australians seriously, and I
am really looking forward to delivering outcomes for these people.
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