❓ Opposition Leader McGowan questions Health Minister Hames about the additional costs to taxpayers due to the employment of extra nursing assistants at Fiona Stanley Hospital, following a report highlighting operational failures. The Minister claims the costs are absorbed within the existing hospital budget.
AnsweredQoN 561Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
FIONA
STANLEY HOSPITAL — AUSTRALIAN COMMISSION ON SAFETY AND QUALITY IN
HEALTH CARE — REPORT
561. Mr M. McGOWAN to the
Minister for Health:
I have a supplementary question. Page 26 of the report
presented to the minister into the operations of Fiona Stanley Hospital
indicates that the hospital, not Serco, has had to employ an additional 120
assistants in nursing as a consequence of this failure. Therefore, what is the
additional cost to taxpayers of the minister's failed deal?
STANLEY HOSPITAL — AUSTRALIAN COMMISSION ON SAFETY AND QUALITY IN
HEALTH CARE — REPORT
561. Mr M. McGOWAN to the
Minister for Health:
I have a supplementary question. Page 26 of the report
presented to the minister into the operations of Fiona Stanley Hospital
indicates that the hospital, not Serco, has had to employ an additional 120
assistants in nursing as a consequence of this failure. Therefore, what is the
additional cost to taxpayers of the minister's failed deal?
AnswerView source ↗
The member is clearly not listening to me. Just think back to
what I said. I did not say that it was Serco —
Mr
M. McGowan interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member!
Dr K.D. HAMES : I
am answering the Leader of the Opposition's question. I did not say
that Serco would cover those additional costs. I said that those additional
staff that have been put on—remember that they are assistants in
nursing—do not spend their whole day following orderlies around and
providing assistance to move patients on the rare occasion when an orderly has
to physically touch a patient; mostly they do not need to do that. They do lots
of other work as well to assist. That still comes within the total budget of
the hospital that is funded according to the number of National Weighted Unit
Activity staff who work throughout the hospital.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members!
Dr K.D. HAMES :
They do cost extra but it is within the total budget. The government is not
putting in additional funds to fund those staff. The staff perform lots of
other roles and there is no additional government spending on employing those
staff.
what I said. I did not say that it was Serco —
Mr
M. McGowan interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member!
Dr K.D. HAMES : I
am answering the Leader of the Opposition's question. I did not say
that Serco would cover those additional costs. I said that those additional
staff that have been put on—remember that they are assistants in
nursing—do not spend their whole day following orderlies around and
providing assistance to move patients on the rare occasion when an orderly has
to physically touch a patient; mostly they do not need to do that. They do lots
of other work as well to assist. That still comes within the total budget of
the hospital that is funded according to the number of National Weighted Unit
Activity staff who work throughout the hospital.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members!
Dr K.D. HAMES :
They do cost extra but it is within the total budget. The government is not
putting in additional funds to fund those staff. The staff perform lots of
other roles and there is no additional government spending on employing those
staff.
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