❓ Mr Cook questions ambulance ramping and its impact on patient care. Dr Hames responds by stating ramping peaked under the previous Labor government and improvements are underway with new hospital beds.
AnsweredQoN 481Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
AMBULANCE RAMPING — EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS
I refer to the ambulance ramping that is now so bad in Western Australia that at Peel Health Campus six patients are currently waiting, and have been waiting for the past two days, to be transferred to Fremantle Hospital, but are unable to be transferred due to the backlog of ambulances ramped at Fremantle Hospital. (1) Why is patient care being compromised for these six people who cannot be transferred? (2) Can the minister confirm the unprecedented levels of ramping that saw ambulances waiting idly at emergency departments for a staggering 2 200 hours over the winter months? (3) Can the minister explained why a directive has been given to not divert, or not use the word “divert”, ambulances to cover up failing emergency departments despite the impact this has on patient care? Dr K.D. HAMES
I refer to the ambulance ramping that is now so bad in Western Australia that at Peel Health Campus six patients are currently waiting, and have been waiting for the past two days, to be transferred to Fremantle Hospital, but are unable to be transferred due to the backlog of ambulances ramped at Fremantle Hospital. (1) Why is patient care being compromised for these six people who cannot be transferred? (2) Can the minister confirm the unprecedented levels of ramping that saw ambulances waiting idly at emergency departments for a staggering 2 200 hours over the winter months? (3) Can the minister explained why a directive has been given to not divert, or not use the word “divert”, ambulances to cover up failing emergency departments despite the impact this has on patient care? Dr K.D. HAMES
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3) The opposition would have us believe that ramping is a problem that has developed under this government. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I would like to hear the minister’s answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : Yes; I would like to hear it myself, but I cannot even hear myself speak. The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Why does the member not let me say something? Mr R.H. Cook : Because you always speak rubbish; that’s why! Dr K.D. HAMES : The member does not even know that it is rubbish because he could not have heard me because he was talking. Why does he not stop talking and listen? The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : The opposition would have us believe that ramping started under this government and is now the worst it has ever been. Neither of those propositions is true. When the Labor Party was in power, ramping was very low in the first half of its time in government. The graph—unfortunately, I do not have it with me—shows that there was a significant increase in ramping in 2006 and it reached its peak in guess what year? It reached its peak in 2008—just before we took government. The worst year on record was 2008, the last year of the Labor government. It has improved since then. There have been problems in managing ambulance ramping at our hospitals; I do not deny that it is a problem. We have found that with a six per cent increase in demand—it was a three per cent increase last year—to be met by roughly the same number of beds in the system, it is very difficult for our hospitals to cope. The Australian Medical Association was right when it said that a lot of the problem relates to a lack of beds in our tertiary system. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Let me say something. Fiona Stanley Hospital was supposed to be ready initially by 2010. Each year that the Labor government was in power, the completion date blew out by another year until, finally, the completion date was to be 2013, with the hospital opening in 2014. If those beds had been ready now, it would have been a different story. If we had had the additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup hospitals, it would have been a different story. The problem now is that there is an ever-increasing demand for the same number of beds. Although we are struggling under the four-hour rule, if we had not had the four-hour rule this year, I believe there would have been chaos in trying to deal with that increased demand. That has been the only way that we have been able to deal with the ever-increasing demand and the lack of beds. Our hospitals are running, as they were under the previous government, at 95 to 105 per cent occupancy. As we open those additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup, as recommended in the Reid review, it will take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members. Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
(1) Why is patient care being compromised for these six people who cannot be transferred? (2) Can the minister confirm the unprecedented levels of ramping that saw ambulances waiting idly at emergency departments for a staggering 2 200 hours over the winter months? (3) Can the minister explained why a directive has been given to not divert, or not use the word “divert”, ambulances to cover up failing emergency departments despite the impact this has on patient care? Dr K.D. HAMES replied: (1)–(3) The opposition would have us believe that ramping is a problem that has developed under this government. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I would like to hear the minister’s answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : Yes; I would like to hear it myself, but I cannot even hear myself speak. The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Why does the member not let me say something? Mr R.H. Cook : Because you always speak rubbish; that’s why! Dr K.D. HAMES : The member does not even know that it is rubbish because he could not have heard me because he was talking. Why does he not stop talking and listen? The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : The opposition would have us believe that ramping started under this government and is now the worst it has ever been. Neither of those propositions is true. When the Labor Party was in power, ramping was very low in the first half of its time in government. The graph—unfortunately, I do not have it with me—shows that there was a significant increase in ramping in 2006 and it reached its peak in guess what year? It reached its peak in 2008—just before we took government. The worst year on record was 2008, the last year of the Labor government. It has improved since then. There have been problems in managing ambulance ramping at our hospitals; I do not deny that it is a problem. We have found that with a six per cent increase in demand—it was a three per cent increase last year—to be met by roughly the same number of beds in the system, it is very difficult for our hospitals to cope. The Australian Medical Association was right when it said that a lot of the problem relates to a lack of beds in our tertiary system. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Let me say something. Fiona Stanley Hospital was supposed to be ready initially by 2010. Each year that the Labor government was in power, the completion date blew out by another year until, finally, the completion date was to be 2013, with the hospital opening in 2014. If those beds had been ready now, it would have been a different story. If we had had the additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup hospitals, it would have been a different story. The problem now is that there is an ever-increasing demand for the same number of beds. Although we are struggling under the four-hour rule, if we had not had the four-hour rule this year, I believe there would have been chaos in trying to deal with that increased demand. That has been the only way that we have been able to deal with the ever-increasing demand and the lack of beds. Our hospitals are running, as they were under the previous government, at 95 to 105 per cent occupancy. As we open those additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup, as recommended in the Reid review, it will take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members. Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
(2) Can the minister confirm the unprecedented levels of ramping that saw ambulances waiting idly at emergency departments for a staggering 2 200 hours over the winter months? (3) Can the minister explained why a directive has been given to not divert, or not use the word “divert”, ambulances to cover up failing emergency departments despite the impact this has on patient care? Dr K.D. HAMES replied: (1)–(3) The opposition would have us believe that ramping is a problem that has developed under this government. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I would like to hear the minister’s answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : Yes; I would like to hear it myself, but I cannot even hear myself speak. The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Why does the member not let me say something? Mr R.H. Cook : Because you always speak rubbish; that’s why! Dr K.D. HAMES : The member does not even know that it is rubbish because he could not have heard me because he was talking. Why does he not stop talking and listen? The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : The opposition would have us believe that ramping started under this government and is now the worst it has ever been. Neither of those propositions is true. When the Labor Party was in power, ramping was very low in the first half of its time in government. The graph—unfortunately, I do not have it with me—shows that there was a significant increase in ramping in 2006 and it reached its peak in guess what year? It reached its peak in 2008—just before we took government. The worst year on record was 2008, the last year of the Labor government. It has improved since then. There have been problems in managing ambulance ramping at our hospitals; I do not deny that it is a problem. We have found that with a six per cent increase in demand—it was a three per cent increase last year—to be met by roughly the same number of beds in the system, it is very difficult for our hospitals to cope. The Australian Medical Association was right when it said that a lot of the problem relates to a lack of beds in our tertiary system. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Let me say something. Fiona Stanley Hospital was supposed to be ready initially by 2010. Each year that the Labor government was in power, the completion date blew out by another year until, finally, the completion date was to be 2013, with the hospital opening in 2014. If those beds had been ready now, it would have been a different story. If we had had the additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup hospitals, it would have been a different story. The problem now is that there is an ever-increasing demand for the same number of beds. Although we are struggling under the four-hour rule, if we had not had the four-hour rule this year, I believe there would have been chaos in trying to deal with that increased demand. That has been the only way that we have been able to deal with the ever-increasing demand and the lack of beds. Our hospitals are running, as they were under the previous government, at 95 to 105 per cent occupancy. As we open those additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup, as recommended in the Reid review, it will take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members. Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
(3) Can the minister explained why a directive has been given to not divert, or not use the word “divert”, ambulances to cover up failing emergency departments despite the impact this has on patient care? Dr K.D. HAMES replied: (1)–(3) The opposition would have us believe that ramping is a problem that has developed under this government. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I would like to hear the minister’s answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : Yes; I would like to hear it myself, but I cannot even hear myself speak. The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Why does the member not let me say something? Mr R.H. Cook : Because you always speak rubbish; that’s why! Dr K.D. HAMES : The member does not even know that it is rubbish because he could not have heard me because he was talking. Why does he not stop talking and listen? The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : The opposition would have us believe that ramping started under this government and is now the worst it has ever been. Neither of those propositions is true. When the Labor Party was in power, ramping was very low in the first half of its time in government. The graph—unfortunately, I do not have it with me—shows that there was a significant increase in ramping in 2006 and it reached its peak in guess what year? It reached its peak in 2008—just before we took government. The worst year on record was 2008, the last year of the Labor government. It has improved since then. There have been problems in managing ambulance ramping at our hospitals; I do not deny that it is a problem. We have found that with a six per cent increase in demand—it was a three per cent increase last year—to be met by roughly the same number of beds in the system, it is very difficult for our hospitals to cope. The Australian Medical Association was right when it said that a lot of the problem relates to a lack of beds in our tertiary system. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Let me say something. Fiona Stanley Hospital was supposed to be ready initially by 2010. Each year that the Labor government was in power, the completion date blew out by another year until, finally, the completion date was to be 2013, with the hospital opening in 2014. If those beds had been ready now, it would have been a different story. If we had had the additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup hospitals, it would have been a different story. The problem now is that there is an ever-increasing demand for the same number of beds. Although we are struggling under the four-hour rule, if we had not had the four-hour rule this year, I believe there would have been chaos in trying to deal with that increased demand. That has been the only way that we have been able to deal with the ever-increasing demand and the lack of beds. Our hospitals are running, as they were under the previous government, at 95 to 105 per cent occupancy. As we open those additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup, as recommended in the Reid review, it will take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members. Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
Dr K.D. HAMES replied: (1)–(3) The opposition would have us believe that ramping is a problem that has developed under this government. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I would like to hear the minister’s answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : Yes; I would like to hear it myself, but I cannot even hear myself speak. The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Why does the member not let me say something? Mr R.H. Cook : Because you always speak rubbish; that’s why! Dr K.D. HAMES : The member does not even know that it is rubbish because he could not have heard me because he was talking. Why does he not stop talking and listen? The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : The opposition would have us believe that ramping started under this government and is now the worst it has ever been. Neither of those propositions is true. When the Labor Party was in power, ramping was very low in the first half of its time in government. The graph—unfortunately, I do not have it with me—shows that there was a significant increase in ramping in 2006 and it reached its peak in guess what year? It reached its peak in 2008—just before we took government. The worst year on record was 2008, the last year of the Labor government. It has improved since then. There have been problems in managing ambulance ramping at our hospitals; I do not deny that it is a problem. We have found that with a six per cent increase in demand—it was a three per cent increase last year—to be met by roughly the same number of beds in the system, it is very difficult for our hospitals to cope. The Australian Medical Association was right when it said that a lot of the problem relates to a lack of beds in our tertiary system. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Let me say something. Fiona Stanley Hospital was supposed to be ready initially by 2010. Each year that the Labor government was in power, the completion date blew out by another year until, finally, the completion date was to be 2013, with the hospital opening in 2014. If those beds had been ready now, it would have been a different story. If we had had the additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup hospitals, it would have been a different story. The problem now is that there is an ever-increasing demand for the same number of beds. Although we are struggling under the four-hour rule, if we had not had the four-hour rule this year, I believe there would have been chaos in trying to deal with that increased demand. That has been the only way that we have been able to deal with the ever-increasing demand and the lack of beds. Our hospitals are running, as they were under the previous government, at 95 to 105 per cent occupancy. As we open those additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup, as recommended in the Reid review, it will take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members. Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
(1)–(3) The opposition would have us believe that ramping is a problem that has developed under this government. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I would like to hear the minister’s answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : Yes; I would like to hear it myself, but I cannot even hear myself speak. The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Why does the member not let me say something? Mr R.H. Cook : Because you always speak rubbish; that’s why! Dr K.D. HAMES : The member does not even know that it is rubbish because he could not have heard me because he was talking. Why does he not stop talking and listen? The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : The opposition would have us believe that ramping started under this government and is now the worst it has ever been. Neither of those propositions is true. When the Labor Party was in power, ramping was very low in the first half of its time in government. The graph—unfortunately, I do not have it with me—shows that there was a significant increase in ramping in 2006 and it reached its peak in guess what year? It reached its peak in 2008—just before we took government. The worst year on record was 2008, the last year of the Labor government. It has improved since then. There have been problems in managing ambulance ramping at our hospitals; I do not deny that it is a problem. We have found that with a six per cent increase in demand—it was a three per cent increase last year—to be met by roughly the same number of beds in the system, it is very difficult for our hospitals to cope. The Australian Medical Association was right when it said that a lot of the problem relates to a lack of beds in our tertiary system. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Let me say something. Fiona Stanley Hospital was supposed to be ready initially by 2010. Each year that the Labor government was in power, the completion date blew out by another year until, finally, the completion date was to be 2013, with the hospital opening in 2014. If those beds had been ready now, it would have been a different story. If we had had the additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup hospitals, it would have been a different story. The problem now is that there is an ever-increasing demand for the same number of beds. Although we are struggling under the four-hour rule, if we had not had the four-hour rule this year, I believe there would have been chaos in trying to deal with that increased demand. That has been the only way that we have been able to deal with the ever-increasing demand and the lack of beds. Our hospitals are running, as they were under the previous government, at 95 to 105 per cent occupancy. As we open those additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup, as recommended in the Reid review, it will take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members. Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I would like to hear the minister’s answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : Yes; I would like to hear it myself, but I cannot even hear myself speak. The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Why does the member not let me say something? Mr R.H. Cook : Because you always speak rubbish; that’s why! Dr K.D. HAMES : The member does not even know that it is rubbish because he could not have heard me because he was talking. Why does he not stop talking and listen? The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : The opposition would have us believe that ramping started under this government and is now the worst it has ever been. Neither of those propositions is true. When the Labor Party was in power, ramping was very low in the first half of its time in government. The graph—unfortunately, I do not have it with me—shows that there was a significant increase in ramping in 2006 and it reached its peak in guess what year? It reached its peak in 2008—just before we took government. The worst year on record was 2008, the last year of the Labor government. It has improved since then. There have been problems in managing ambulance ramping at our hospitals; I do not deny that it is a problem. We have found that with a six per cent increase in demand—it was a three per cent increase last year—to be met by roughly the same number of beds in the system, it is very difficult for our hospitals to cope. The Australian Medical Association was right when it said that a lot of the problem relates to a lack of beds in our tertiary system. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Let me say something. Fiona Stanley Hospital was supposed to be ready initially by 2010. Each year that the Labor government was in power, the completion date blew out by another year until, finally, the completion date was to be 2013, with the hospital opening in 2014. If those beds had been ready now, it would have been a different story. If we had had the additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup hospitals, it would have been a different story. The problem now is that there is an ever-increasing demand for the same number of beds. Although we are struggling under the four-hour rule, if we had not had the four-hour rule this year, I believe there would have been chaos in trying to deal with that increased demand. That has been the only way that we have been able to deal with the ever-increasing demand and the lack of beds. Our hospitals are running, as they were under the previous government, at 95 to 105 per cent occupancy. As we open those additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup, as recommended in the Reid review, it will take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members. Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
The SPEAKER : I would like to hear the minister’s answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : Yes; I would like to hear it myself, but I cannot even hear myself speak. The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Why does the member not let me say something? Mr R.H. Cook : Because you always speak rubbish; that’s why! Dr K.D. HAMES : The member does not even know that it is rubbish because he could not have heard me because he was talking. Why does he not stop talking and listen? The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : The opposition would have us believe that ramping started under this government and is now the worst it has ever been. Neither of those propositions is true. When the Labor Party was in power, ramping was very low in the first half of its time in government. The graph—unfortunately, I do not have it with me—shows that there was a significant increase in ramping in 2006 and it reached its peak in guess what year? It reached its peak in 2008—just before we took government. The worst year on record was 2008, the last year of the Labor government. It has improved since then. There have been problems in managing ambulance ramping at our hospitals; I do not deny that it is a problem. We have found that with a six per cent increase in demand—it was a three per cent increase last year—to be met by roughly the same number of beds in the system, it is very difficult for our hospitals to cope. The Australian Medical Association was right when it said that a lot of the problem relates to a lack of beds in our tertiary system. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Let me say something. Fiona Stanley Hospital was supposed to be ready initially by 2010. Each year that the Labor government was in power, the completion date blew out by another year until, finally, the completion date was to be 2013, with the hospital opening in 2014. If those beds had been ready now, it would have been a different story. If we had had the additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup hospitals, it would have been a different story. The problem now is that there is an ever-increasing demand for the same number of beds. Although we are struggling under the four-hour rule, if we had not had the four-hour rule this year, I believe there would have been chaos in trying to deal with that increased demand. That has been the only way that we have been able to deal with the ever-increasing demand and the lack of beds. Our hospitals are running, as they were under the previous government, at 95 to 105 per cent occupancy. As we open those additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup, as recommended in the Reid review, it will take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members. Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
Dr K.D. HAMES : Yes; I would like to hear it myself, but I cannot even hear myself speak. The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Why does the member not let me say something? Mr R.H. Cook : Because you always speak rubbish; that’s why! Dr K.D. HAMES : The member does not even know that it is rubbish because he could not have heard me because he was talking. Why does he not stop talking and listen? The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : The opposition would have us believe that ramping started under this government and is now the worst it has ever been. Neither of those propositions is true. When the Labor Party was in power, ramping was very low in the first half of its time in government. The graph—unfortunately, I do not have it with me—shows that there was a significant increase in ramping in 2006 and it reached its peak in guess what year? It reached its peak in 2008—just before we took government. The worst year on record was 2008, the last year of the Labor government. It has improved since then. There have been problems in managing ambulance ramping at our hospitals; I do not deny that it is a problem. We have found that with a six per cent increase in demand—it was a three per cent increase last year—to be met by roughly the same number of beds in the system, it is very difficult for our hospitals to cope. The Australian Medical Association was right when it said that a lot of the problem relates to a lack of beds in our tertiary system. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Let me say something. Fiona Stanley Hospital was supposed to be ready initially by 2010. Each year that the Labor government was in power, the completion date blew out by another year until, finally, the completion date was to be 2013, with the hospital opening in 2014. If those beds had been ready now, it would have been a different story. If we had had the additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup hospitals, it would have been a different story. The problem now is that there is an ever-increasing demand for the same number of beds. Although we are struggling under the four-hour rule, if we had not had the four-hour rule this year, I believe there would have been chaos in trying to deal with that increased demand. That has been the only way that we have been able to deal with the ever-increasing demand and the lack of beds. Our hospitals are running, as they were under the previous government, at 95 to 105 per cent occupancy. As we open those additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup, as recommended in the Reid review, it will take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members. Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Why does the member not let me say something? Mr R.H. Cook : Because you always speak rubbish; that’s why! Dr K.D. HAMES : The member does not even know that it is rubbish because he could not have heard me because he was talking. Why does he not stop talking and listen? The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : The opposition would have us believe that ramping started under this government and is now the worst it has ever been. Neither of those propositions is true. When the Labor Party was in power, ramping was very low in the first half of its time in government. The graph—unfortunately, I do not have it with me—shows that there was a significant increase in ramping in 2006 and it reached its peak in guess what year? It reached its peak in 2008—just before we took government. The worst year on record was 2008, the last year of the Labor government. It has improved since then. There have been problems in managing ambulance ramping at our hospitals; I do not deny that it is a problem. We have found that with a six per cent increase in demand—it was a three per cent increase last year—to be met by roughly the same number of beds in the system, it is very difficult for our hospitals to cope. The Australian Medical Association was right when it said that a lot of the problem relates to a lack of beds in our tertiary system. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Let me say something. Fiona Stanley Hospital was supposed to be ready initially by 2010. Each year that the Labor government was in power, the completion date blew out by another year until, finally, the completion date was to be 2013, with the hospital opening in 2014. If those beds had been ready now, it would have been a different story. If we had had the additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup hospitals, it would have been a different story. The problem now is that there is an ever-increasing demand for the same number of beds. Although we are struggling under the four-hour rule, if we had not had the four-hour rule this year, I believe there would have been chaos in trying to deal with that increased demand. That has been the only way that we have been able to deal with the ever-increasing demand and the lack of beds. Our hospitals are running, as they were under the previous government, at 95 to 105 per cent occupancy. As we open those additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup, as recommended in the Reid review, it will take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members. Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
Dr K.D. HAMES : Why does the member not let me say something? Mr R.H. Cook : Because you always speak rubbish; that’s why! Dr K.D. HAMES : The member does not even know that it is rubbish because he could not have heard me because he was talking. Why does he not stop talking and listen? The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : The opposition would have us believe that ramping started under this government and is now the worst it has ever been. Neither of those propositions is true. When the Labor Party was in power, ramping was very low in the first half of its time in government. The graph—unfortunately, I do not have it with me—shows that there was a significant increase in ramping in 2006 and it reached its peak in guess what year? It reached its peak in 2008—just before we took government. The worst year on record was 2008, the last year of the Labor government. It has improved since then. There have been problems in managing ambulance ramping at our hospitals; I do not deny that it is a problem. We have found that with a six per cent increase in demand—it was a three per cent increase last year—to be met by roughly the same number of beds in the system, it is very difficult for our hospitals to cope. The Australian Medical Association was right when it said that a lot of the problem relates to a lack of beds in our tertiary system. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Let me say something. Fiona Stanley Hospital was supposed to be ready initially by 2010. Each year that the Labor government was in power, the completion date blew out by another year until, finally, the completion date was to be 2013, with the hospital opening in 2014. If those beds had been ready now, it would have been a different story. If we had had the additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup hospitals, it would have been a different story. The problem now is that there is an ever-increasing demand for the same number of beds. Although we are struggling under the four-hour rule, if we had not had the four-hour rule this year, I believe there would have been chaos in trying to deal with that increased demand. That has been the only way that we have been able to deal with the ever-increasing demand and the lack of beds. Our hospitals are running, as they were under the previous government, at 95 to 105 per cent occupancy. As we open those additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup, as recommended in the Reid review, it will take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members. Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
Mr R.H. Cook : Because you always speak rubbish; that’s why! Dr K.D. HAMES : The member does not even know that it is rubbish because he could not have heard me because he was talking. Why does he not stop talking and listen? The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : The opposition would have us believe that ramping started under this government and is now the worst it has ever been. Neither of those propositions is true. When the Labor Party was in power, ramping was very low in the first half of its time in government. The graph—unfortunately, I do not have it with me—shows that there was a significant increase in ramping in 2006 and it reached its peak in guess what year? It reached its peak in 2008—just before we took government. The worst year on record was 2008, the last year of the Labor government. It has improved since then. There have been problems in managing ambulance ramping at our hospitals; I do not deny that it is a problem. We have found that with a six per cent increase in demand—it was a three per cent increase last year—to be met by roughly the same number of beds in the system, it is very difficult for our hospitals to cope. The Australian Medical Association was right when it said that a lot of the problem relates to a lack of beds in our tertiary system. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Let me say something. Fiona Stanley Hospital was supposed to be ready initially by 2010. Each year that the Labor government was in power, the completion date blew out by another year until, finally, the completion date was to be 2013, with the hospital opening in 2014. If those beds had been ready now, it would have been a different story. If we had had the additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup hospitals, it would have been a different story. The problem now is that there is an ever-increasing demand for the same number of beds. Although we are struggling under the four-hour rule, if we had not had the four-hour rule this year, I believe there would have been chaos in trying to deal with that increased demand. That has been the only way that we have been able to deal with the ever-increasing demand and the lack of beds. Our hospitals are running, as they were under the previous government, at 95 to 105 per cent occupancy. As we open those additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup, as recommended in the Reid review, it will take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members. Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
Dr K.D. HAMES : The member does not even know that it is rubbish because he could not have heard me because he was talking. Why does he not stop talking and listen? The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : The opposition would have us believe that ramping started under this government and is now the worst it has ever been. Neither of those propositions is true. When the Labor Party was in power, ramping was very low in the first half of its time in government. The graph—unfortunately, I do not have it with me—shows that there was a significant increase in ramping in 2006 and it reached its peak in guess what year? It reached its peak in 2008—just before we took government. The worst year on record was 2008, the last year of the Labor government. It has improved since then. There have been problems in managing ambulance ramping at our hospitals; I do not deny that it is a problem. We have found that with a six per cent increase in demand—it was a three per cent increase last year—to be met by roughly the same number of beds in the system, it is very difficult for our hospitals to cope. The Australian Medical Association was right when it said that a lot of the problem relates to a lack of beds in our tertiary system. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Let me say something. Fiona Stanley Hospital was supposed to be ready initially by 2010. Each year that the Labor government was in power, the completion date blew out by another year until, finally, the completion date was to be 2013, with the hospital opening in 2014. If those beds had been ready now, it would have been a different story. If we had had the additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup hospitals, it would have been a different story. The problem now is that there is an ever-increasing demand for the same number of beds. Although we are struggling under the four-hour rule, if we had not had the four-hour rule this year, I believe there would have been chaos in trying to deal with that increased demand. That has been the only way that we have been able to deal with the ever-increasing demand and the lack of beds. Our hospitals are running, as they were under the previous government, at 95 to 105 per cent occupancy. As we open those additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup, as recommended in the Reid review, it will take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members. Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : The opposition would have us believe that ramping started under this government and is now the worst it has ever been. Neither of those propositions is true. When the Labor Party was in power, ramping was very low in the first half of its time in government. The graph—unfortunately, I do not have it with me—shows that there was a significant increase in ramping in 2006 and it reached its peak in guess what year? It reached its peak in 2008—just before we took government. The worst year on record was 2008, the last year of the Labor government. It has improved since then. There have been problems in managing ambulance ramping at our hospitals; I do not deny that it is a problem. We have found that with a six per cent increase in demand—it was a three per cent increase last year—to be met by roughly the same number of beds in the system, it is very difficult for our hospitals to cope. The Australian Medical Association was right when it said that a lot of the problem relates to a lack of beds in our tertiary system. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Let me say something. Fiona Stanley Hospital was supposed to be ready initially by 2010. Each year that the Labor government was in power, the completion date blew out by another year until, finally, the completion date was to be 2013, with the hospital opening in 2014. If those beds had been ready now, it would have been a different story. If we had had the additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup hospitals, it would have been a different story. The problem now is that there is an ever-increasing demand for the same number of beds. Although we are struggling under the four-hour rule, if we had not had the four-hour rule this year, I believe there would have been chaos in trying to deal with that increased demand. That has been the only way that we have been able to deal with the ever-increasing demand and the lack of beds. Our hospitals are running, as they were under the previous government, at 95 to 105 per cent occupancy. As we open those additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup, as recommended in the Reid review, it will take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members. Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : The opposition would have us believe that ramping started under this government and is now the worst it has ever been. Neither of those propositions is true. When the Labor Party was in power, ramping was very low in the first half of its time in government. The graph—unfortunately, I do not have it with me—shows that there was a significant increase in ramping in 2006 and it reached its peak in guess what year? It reached its peak in 2008—just before we took government. The worst year on record was 2008, the last year of the Labor government. It has improved since then. There have been problems in managing ambulance ramping at our hospitals; I do not deny that it is a problem. We have found that with a six per cent increase in demand—it was a three per cent increase last year—to be met by roughly the same number of beds in the system, it is very difficult for our hospitals to cope. The Australian Medical Association was right when it said that a lot of the problem relates to a lack of beds in our tertiary system. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Let me say something. Fiona Stanley Hospital was supposed to be ready initially by 2010. Each year that the Labor government was in power, the completion date blew out by another year until, finally, the completion date was to be 2013, with the hospital opening in 2014. If those beds had been ready now, it would have been a different story. If we had had the additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup hospitals, it would have been a different story. The problem now is that there is an ever-increasing demand for the same number of beds. Although we are struggling under the four-hour rule, if we had not had the four-hour rule this year, I believe there would have been chaos in trying to deal with that increased demand. That has been the only way that we have been able to deal with the ever-increasing demand and the lack of beds. Our hospitals are running, as they were under the previous government, at 95 to 105 per cent occupancy. As we open those additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup, as recommended in the Reid review, it will take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members. Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
Dr K.D. HAMES : The opposition would have us believe that ramping started under this government and is now the worst it has ever been. Neither of those propositions is true. When the Labor Party was in power, ramping was very low in the first half of its time in government. The graph—unfortunately, I do not have it with me—shows that there was a significant increase in ramping in 2006 and it reached its peak in guess what year? It reached its peak in 2008—just before we took government. The worst year on record was 2008, the last year of the Labor government. It has improved since then. There have been problems in managing ambulance ramping at our hospitals; I do not deny that it is a problem. We have found that with a six per cent increase in demand—it was a three per cent increase last year—to be met by roughly the same number of beds in the system, it is very difficult for our hospitals to cope. The Australian Medical Association was right when it said that a lot of the problem relates to a lack of beds in our tertiary system. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Let me say something. Fiona Stanley Hospital was supposed to be ready initially by 2010. Each year that the Labor government was in power, the completion date blew out by another year until, finally, the completion date was to be 2013, with the hospital opening in 2014. If those beds had been ready now, it would have been a different story. If we had had the additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup hospitals, it would have been a different story. The problem now is that there is an ever-increasing demand for the same number of beds. Although we are struggling under the four-hour rule, if we had not had the four-hour rule this year, I believe there would have been chaos in trying to deal with that increased demand. That has been the only way that we have been able to deal with the ever-increasing demand and the lack of beds. Our hospitals are running, as they were under the previous government, at 95 to 105 per cent occupancy. As we open those additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup, as recommended in the Reid review, it will take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members. Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Let me say something. Fiona Stanley Hospital was supposed to be ready initially by 2010. Each year that the Labor government was in power, the completion date blew out by another year until, finally, the completion date was to be 2013, with the hospital opening in 2014. If those beds had been ready now, it would have been a different story. If we had had the additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup hospitals, it would have been a different story. The problem now is that there is an ever-increasing demand for the same number of beds. Although we are struggling under the four-hour rule, if we had not had the four-hour rule this year, I believe there would have been chaos in trying to deal with that increased demand. That has been the only way that we have been able to deal with the ever-increasing demand and the lack of beds. Our hospitals are running, as they were under the previous government, at 95 to 105 per cent occupancy. As we open those additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup, as recommended in the Reid review, it will take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members. Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
Dr K.D. HAMES : Let me say something. Fiona Stanley Hospital was supposed to be ready initially by 2010. Each year that the Labor government was in power, the completion date blew out by another year until, finally, the completion date was to be 2013, with the hospital opening in 2014. If those beds had been ready now, it would have been a different story. If we had had the additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup hospitals, it would have been a different story. The problem now is that there is an ever-increasing demand for the same number of beds. Although we are struggling under the four-hour rule, if we had not had the four-hour rule this year, I believe there would have been chaos in trying to deal with that increased demand. That has been the only way that we have been able to deal with the ever-increasing demand and the lack of beds. Our hospitals are running, as they were under the previous government, at 95 to 105 per cent occupancy. As we open those additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup, as recommended in the Reid review, it will take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members. Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members. Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
The SPEAKER : Thank you, members. Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
(1) Why is patient care being compromised for these six people who cannot be transferred? (2) Can the minister confirm the unprecedented levels of ramping that saw ambulances waiting idly at emergency departments for a staggering 2 200 hours over the winter months? (3) Can the minister explained why a directive has been given to not divert, or not use the word “divert”, ambulances to cover up failing emergency departments despite the impact this has on patient care? Dr K.D. HAMES replied: (1)–(3) The opposition would have us believe that ramping is a problem that has developed under this government. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I would like to hear the minister’s answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : Yes; I would like to hear it myself, but I cannot even hear myself speak. The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Why does the member not let me say something? Mr R.H. Cook : Because you always speak rubbish; that’s why! Dr K.D. HAMES : The member does not even know that it is rubbish because he could not have heard me because he was talking. Why does he not stop talking and listen? The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : The opposition would have us believe that ramping started under this government and is now the worst it has ever been. Neither of those propositions is true. When the Labor Party was in power, ramping was very low in the first half of its time in government. The graph—unfortunately, I do not have it with me—shows that there was a significant increase in ramping in 2006 and it reached its peak in guess what year? It reached its peak in 2008—just before we took government. The worst year on record was 2008, the last year of the Labor government. It has improved since then. There have been problems in managing ambulance ramping at our hospitals; I do not deny that it is a problem. We have found that with a six per cent increase in demand—it was a three per cent increase last year—to be met by roughly the same number of beds in the system, it is very difficult for our hospitals to cope. The Australian Medical Association was right when it said that a lot of the problem relates to a lack of beds in our tertiary system. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Let me say something. Fiona Stanley Hospital was supposed to be ready initially by 2010. Each year that the Labor government was in power, the completion date blew out by another year until, finally, the completion date was to be 2013, with the hospital opening in 2014. If those beds had been ready now, it would have been a different story. If we had had the additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup hospitals, it would have been a different story. The problem now is that there is an ever-increasing demand for the same number of beds. Although we are struggling under the four-hour rule, if we had not had the four-hour rule this year, I believe there would have been chaos in trying to deal with that increased demand. That has been the only way that we have been able to deal with the ever-increasing demand and the lack of beds. Our hospitals are running, as they were under the previous government, at 95 to 105 per cent occupancy. As we open those additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup, as recommended in the Reid review, it will take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members. Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
(2) Can the minister confirm the unprecedented levels of ramping that saw ambulances waiting idly at emergency departments for a staggering 2 200 hours over the winter months? (3) Can the minister explained why a directive has been given to not divert, or not use the word “divert”, ambulances to cover up failing emergency departments despite the impact this has on patient care? Dr K.D. HAMES replied: (1)–(3) The opposition would have us believe that ramping is a problem that has developed under this government. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I would like to hear the minister’s answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : Yes; I would like to hear it myself, but I cannot even hear myself speak. The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Why does the member not let me say something? Mr R.H. Cook : Because you always speak rubbish; that’s why! Dr K.D. HAMES : The member does not even know that it is rubbish because he could not have heard me because he was talking. Why does he not stop talking and listen? The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : The opposition would have us believe that ramping started under this government and is now the worst it has ever been. Neither of those propositions is true. When the Labor Party was in power, ramping was very low in the first half of its time in government. The graph—unfortunately, I do not have it with me—shows that there was a significant increase in ramping in 2006 and it reached its peak in guess what year? It reached its peak in 2008—just before we took government. The worst year on record was 2008, the last year of the Labor government. It has improved since then. There have been problems in managing ambulance ramping at our hospitals; I do not deny that it is a problem. We have found that with a six per cent increase in demand—it was a three per cent increase last year—to be met by roughly the same number of beds in the system, it is very difficult for our hospitals to cope. The Australian Medical Association was right when it said that a lot of the problem relates to a lack of beds in our tertiary system. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Let me say something. Fiona Stanley Hospital was supposed to be ready initially by 2010. Each year that the Labor government was in power, the completion date blew out by another year until, finally, the completion date was to be 2013, with the hospital opening in 2014. If those beds had been ready now, it would have been a different story. If we had had the additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup hospitals, it would have been a different story. The problem now is that there is an ever-increasing demand for the same number of beds. Although we are struggling under the four-hour rule, if we had not had the four-hour rule this year, I believe there would have been chaos in trying to deal with that increased demand. That has been the only way that we have been able to deal with the ever-increasing demand and the lack of beds. Our hospitals are running, as they were under the previous government, at 95 to 105 per cent occupancy. As we open those additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup, as recommended in the Reid review, it will take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members. Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
(3) Can the minister explained why a directive has been given to not divert, or not use the word “divert”, ambulances to cover up failing emergency departments despite the impact this has on patient care? Dr K.D. HAMES replied: (1)–(3) The opposition would have us believe that ramping is a problem that has developed under this government. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I would like to hear the minister’s answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : Yes; I would like to hear it myself, but I cannot even hear myself speak. The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Why does the member not let me say something? Mr R.H. Cook : Because you always speak rubbish; that’s why! Dr K.D. HAMES : The member does not even know that it is rubbish because he could not have heard me because he was talking. Why does he not stop talking and listen? The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : The opposition would have us believe that ramping started under this government and is now the worst it has ever been. Neither of those propositions is true. When the Labor Party was in power, ramping was very low in the first half of its time in government. The graph—unfortunately, I do not have it with me—shows that there was a significant increase in ramping in 2006 and it reached its peak in guess what year? It reached its peak in 2008—just before we took government. The worst year on record was 2008, the last year of the Labor government. It has improved since then. There have been problems in managing ambulance ramping at our hospitals; I do not deny that it is a problem. We have found that with a six per cent increase in demand—it was a three per cent increase last year—to be met by roughly the same number of beds in the system, it is very difficult for our hospitals to cope. The Australian Medical Association was right when it said that a lot of the problem relates to a lack of beds in our tertiary system. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Let me say something. Fiona Stanley Hospital was supposed to be ready initially by 2010. Each year that the Labor government was in power, the completion date blew out by another year until, finally, the completion date was to be 2013, with the hospital opening in 2014. If those beds had been ready now, it would have been a different story. If we had had the additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup hospitals, it would have been a different story. The problem now is that there is an ever-increasing demand for the same number of beds. Although we are struggling under the four-hour rule, if we had not had the four-hour rule this year, I believe there would have been chaos in trying to deal with that increased demand. That has been the only way that we have been able to deal with the ever-increasing demand and the lack of beds. Our hospitals are running, as they were under the previous government, at 95 to 105 per cent occupancy. As we open those additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup, as recommended in the Reid review, it will take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members. Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
Dr K.D. HAMES replied: (1)–(3) The opposition would have us believe that ramping is a problem that has developed under this government. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I would like to hear the minister’s answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : Yes; I would like to hear it myself, but I cannot even hear myself speak. The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Why does the member not let me say something? Mr R.H. Cook : Because you always speak rubbish; that’s why! Dr K.D. HAMES : The member does not even know that it is rubbish because he could not have heard me because he was talking. Why does he not stop talking and listen? The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : The opposition would have us believe that ramping started under this government and is now the worst it has ever been. Neither of those propositions is true. When the Labor Party was in power, ramping was very low in the first half of its time in government. The graph—unfortunately, I do not have it with me—shows that there was a significant increase in ramping in 2006 and it reached its peak in guess what year? It reached its peak in 2008—just before we took government. The worst year on record was 2008, the last year of the Labor government. It has improved since then. There have been problems in managing ambulance ramping at our hospitals; I do not deny that it is a problem. We have found that with a six per cent increase in demand—it was a three per cent increase last year—to be met by roughly the same number of beds in the system, it is very difficult for our hospitals to cope. The Australian Medical Association was right when it said that a lot of the problem relates to a lack of beds in our tertiary system. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Let me say something. Fiona Stanley Hospital was supposed to be ready initially by 2010. Each year that the Labor government was in power, the completion date blew out by another year until, finally, the completion date was to be 2013, with the hospital opening in 2014. If those beds had been ready now, it would have been a different story. If we had had the additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup hospitals, it would have been a different story. The problem now is that there is an ever-increasing demand for the same number of beds. Although we are struggling under the four-hour rule, if we had not had the four-hour rule this year, I believe there would have been chaos in trying to deal with that increased demand. That has been the only way that we have been able to deal with the ever-increasing demand and the lack of beds. Our hospitals are running, as they were under the previous government, at 95 to 105 per cent occupancy. As we open those additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup, as recommended in the Reid review, it will take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members. Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
(1)–(3) The opposition would have us believe that ramping is a problem that has developed under this government. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I would like to hear the minister’s answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : Yes; I would like to hear it myself, but I cannot even hear myself speak. The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Why does the member not let me say something? Mr R.H. Cook : Because you always speak rubbish; that’s why! Dr K.D. HAMES : The member does not even know that it is rubbish because he could not have heard me because he was talking. Why does he not stop talking and listen? The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : The opposition would have us believe that ramping started under this government and is now the worst it has ever been. Neither of those propositions is true. When the Labor Party was in power, ramping was very low in the first half of its time in government. The graph—unfortunately, I do not have it with me—shows that there was a significant increase in ramping in 2006 and it reached its peak in guess what year? It reached its peak in 2008—just before we took government. The worst year on record was 2008, the last year of the Labor government. It has improved since then. There have been problems in managing ambulance ramping at our hospitals; I do not deny that it is a problem. We have found that with a six per cent increase in demand—it was a three per cent increase last year—to be met by roughly the same number of beds in the system, it is very difficult for our hospitals to cope. The Australian Medical Association was right when it said that a lot of the problem relates to a lack of beds in our tertiary system. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Let me say something. Fiona Stanley Hospital was supposed to be ready initially by 2010. Each year that the Labor government was in power, the completion date blew out by another year until, finally, the completion date was to be 2013, with the hospital opening in 2014. If those beds had been ready now, it would have been a different story. If we had had the additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup hospitals, it would have been a different story. The problem now is that there is an ever-increasing demand for the same number of beds. Although we are struggling under the four-hour rule, if we had not had the four-hour rule this year, I believe there would have been chaos in trying to deal with that increased demand. That has been the only way that we have been able to deal with the ever-increasing demand and the lack of beds. Our hospitals are running, as they were under the previous government, at 95 to 105 per cent occupancy. As we open those additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup, as recommended in the Reid review, it will take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members. Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I would like to hear the minister’s answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : Yes; I would like to hear it myself, but I cannot even hear myself speak. The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Why does the member not let me say something? Mr R.H. Cook : Because you always speak rubbish; that’s why! Dr K.D. HAMES : The member does not even know that it is rubbish because he could not have heard me because he was talking. Why does he not stop talking and listen? The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : The opposition would have us believe that ramping started under this government and is now the worst it has ever been. Neither of those propositions is true. When the Labor Party was in power, ramping was very low in the first half of its time in government. The graph—unfortunately, I do not have it with me—shows that there was a significant increase in ramping in 2006 and it reached its peak in guess what year? It reached its peak in 2008—just before we took government. The worst year on record was 2008, the last year of the Labor government. It has improved since then. There have been problems in managing ambulance ramping at our hospitals; I do not deny that it is a problem. We have found that with a six per cent increase in demand—it was a three per cent increase last year—to be met by roughly the same number of beds in the system, it is very difficult for our hospitals to cope. The Australian Medical Association was right when it said that a lot of the problem relates to a lack of beds in our tertiary system. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Let me say something. Fiona Stanley Hospital was supposed to be ready initially by 2010. Each year that the Labor government was in power, the completion date blew out by another year until, finally, the completion date was to be 2013, with the hospital opening in 2014. If those beds had been ready now, it would have been a different story. If we had had the additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup hospitals, it would have been a different story. The problem now is that there is an ever-increasing demand for the same number of beds. Although we are struggling under the four-hour rule, if we had not had the four-hour rule this year, I believe there would have been chaos in trying to deal with that increased demand. That has been the only way that we have been able to deal with the ever-increasing demand and the lack of beds. Our hospitals are running, as they were under the previous government, at 95 to 105 per cent occupancy. As we open those additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup, as recommended in the Reid review, it will take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members. Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
The SPEAKER : I would like to hear the minister’s answer. Dr K.D. HAMES : Yes; I would like to hear it myself, but I cannot even hear myself speak. The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Why does the member not let me say something? Mr R.H. Cook : Because you always speak rubbish; that’s why! Dr K.D. HAMES : The member does not even know that it is rubbish because he could not have heard me because he was talking. Why does he not stop talking and listen? The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : The opposition would have us believe that ramping started under this government and is now the worst it has ever been. Neither of those propositions is true. When the Labor Party was in power, ramping was very low in the first half of its time in government. The graph—unfortunately, I do not have it with me—shows that there was a significant increase in ramping in 2006 and it reached its peak in guess what year? It reached its peak in 2008—just before we took government. The worst year on record was 2008, the last year of the Labor government. It has improved since then. There have been problems in managing ambulance ramping at our hospitals; I do not deny that it is a problem. We have found that with a six per cent increase in demand—it was a three per cent increase last year—to be met by roughly the same number of beds in the system, it is very difficult for our hospitals to cope. The Australian Medical Association was right when it said that a lot of the problem relates to a lack of beds in our tertiary system. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Let me say something. Fiona Stanley Hospital was supposed to be ready initially by 2010. Each year that the Labor government was in power, the completion date blew out by another year until, finally, the completion date was to be 2013, with the hospital opening in 2014. If those beds had been ready now, it would have been a different story. If we had had the additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup hospitals, it would have been a different story. The problem now is that there is an ever-increasing demand for the same number of beds. Although we are struggling under the four-hour rule, if we had not had the four-hour rule this year, I believe there would have been chaos in trying to deal with that increased demand. That has been the only way that we have been able to deal with the ever-increasing demand and the lack of beds. Our hospitals are running, as they were under the previous government, at 95 to 105 per cent occupancy. As we open those additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup, as recommended in the Reid review, it will take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members. Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
Dr K.D. HAMES : Yes; I would like to hear it myself, but I cannot even hear myself speak. The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Why does the member not let me say something? Mr R.H. Cook : Because you always speak rubbish; that’s why! Dr K.D. HAMES : The member does not even know that it is rubbish because he could not have heard me because he was talking. Why does he not stop talking and listen? The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : The opposition would have us believe that ramping started under this government and is now the worst it has ever been. Neither of those propositions is true. When the Labor Party was in power, ramping was very low in the first half of its time in government. The graph—unfortunately, I do not have it with me—shows that there was a significant increase in ramping in 2006 and it reached its peak in guess what year? It reached its peak in 2008—just before we took government. The worst year on record was 2008, the last year of the Labor government. It has improved since then. There have been problems in managing ambulance ramping at our hospitals; I do not deny that it is a problem. We have found that with a six per cent increase in demand—it was a three per cent increase last year—to be met by roughly the same number of beds in the system, it is very difficult for our hospitals to cope. The Australian Medical Association was right when it said that a lot of the problem relates to a lack of beds in our tertiary system. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Let me say something. Fiona Stanley Hospital was supposed to be ready initially by 2010. Each year that the Labor government was in power, the completion date blew out by another year until, finally, the completion date was to be 2013, with the hospital opening in 2014. If those beds had been ready now, it would have been a different story. If we had had the additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup hospitals, it would have been a different story. The problem now is that there is an ever-increasing demand for the same number of beds. Although we are struggling under the four-hour rule, if we had not had the four-hour rule this year, I believe there would have been chaos in trying to deal with that increased demand. That has been the only way that we have been able to deal with the ever-increasing demand and the lack of beds. Our hospitals are running, as they were under the previous government, at 95 to 105 per cent occupancy. As we open those additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup, as recommended in the Reid review, it will take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members. Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Why does the member not let me say something? Mr R.H. Cook : Because you always speak rubbish; that’s why! Dr K.D. HAMES : The member does not even know that it is rubbish because he could not have heard me because he was talking. Why does he not stop talking and listen? The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : The opposition would have us believe that ramping started under this government and is now the worst it has ever been. Neither of those propositions is true. When the Labor Party was in power, ramping was very low in the first half of its time in government. The graph—unfortunately, I do not have it with me—shows that there was a significant increase in ramping in 2006 and it reached its peak in guess what year? It reached its peak in 2008—just before we took government. The worst year on record was 2008, the last year of the Labor government. It has improved since then. There have been problems in managing ambulance ramping at our hospitals; I do not deny that it is a problem. We have found that with a six per cent increase in demand—it was a three per cent increase last year—to be met by roughly the same number of beds in the system, it is very difficult for our hospitals to cope. The Australian Medical Association was right when it said that a lot of the problem relates to a lack of beds in our tertiary system. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Let me say something. Fiona Stanley Hospital was supposed to be ready initially by 2010. Each year that the Labor government was in power, the completion date blew out by another year until, finally, the completion date was to be 2013, with the hospital opening in 2014. If those beds had been ready now, it would have been a different story. If we had had the additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup hospitals, it would have been a different story. The problem now is that there is an ever-increasing demand for the same number of beds. Although we are struggling under the four-hour rule, if we had not had the four-hour rule this year, I believe there would have been chaos in trying to deal with that increased demand. That has been the only way that we have been able to deal with the ever-increasing demand and the lack of beds. Our hospitals are running, as they were under the previous government, at 95 to 105 per cent occupancy. As we open those additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup, as recommended in the Reid review, it will take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members. Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
Dr K.D. HAMES : Why does the member not let me say something? Mr R.H. Cook : Because you always speak rubbish; that’s why! Dr K.D. HAMES : The member does not even know that it is rubbish because he could not have heard me because he was talking. Why does he not stop talking and listen? The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : The opposition would have us believe that ramping started under this government and is now the worst it has ever been. Neither of those propositions is true. When the Labor Party was in power, ramping was very low in the first half of its time in government. The graph—unfortunately, I do not have it with me—shows that there was a significant increase in ramping in 2006 and it reached its peak in guess what year? It reached its peak in 2008—just before we took government. The worst year on record was 2008, the last year of the Labor government. It has improved since then. There have been problems in managing ambulance ramping at our hospitals; I do not deny that it is a problem. We have found that with a six per cent increase in demand—it was a three per cent increase last year—to be met by roughly the same number of beds in the system, it is very difficult for our hospitals to cope. The Australian Medical Association was right when it said that a lot of the problem relates to a lack of beds in our tertiary system. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Let me say something. Fiona Stanley Hospital was supposed to be ready initially by 2010. Each year that the Labor government was in power, the completion date blew out by another year until, finally, the completion date was to be 2013, with the hospital opening in 2014. If those beds had been ready now, it would have been a different story. If we had had the additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup hospitals, it would have been a different story. The problem now is that there is an ever-increasing demand for the same number of beds. Although we are struggling under the four-hour rule, if we had not had the four-hour rule this year, I believe there would have been chaos in trying to deal with that increased demand. That has been the only way that we have been able to deal with the ever-increasing demand and the lack of beds. Our hospitals are running, as they were under the previous government, at 95 to 105 per cent occupancy. As we open those additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup, as recommended in the Reid review, it will take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members. Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
Mr R.H. Cook : Because you always speak rubbish; that’s why! Dr K.D. HAMES : The member does not even know that it is rubbish because he could not have heard me because he was talking. Why does he not stop talking and listen? The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : The opposition would have us believe that ramping started under this government and is now the worst it has ever been. Neither of those propositions is true. When the Labor Party was in power, ramping was very low in the first half of its time in government. The graph—unfortunately, I do not have it with me—shows that there was a significant increase in ramping in 2006 and it reached its peak in guess what year? It reached its peak in 2008—just before we took government. The worst year on record was 2008, the last year of the Labor government. It has improved since then. There have been problems in managing ambulance ramping at our hospitals; I do not deny that it is a problem. We have found that with a six per cent increase in demand—it was a three per cent increase last year—to be met by roughly the same number of beds in the system, it is very difficult for our hospitals to cope. The Australian Medical Association was right when it said that a lot of the problem relates to a lack of beds in our tertiary system. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Let me say something. Fiona Stanley Hospital was supposed to be ready initially by 2010. Each year that the Labor government was in power, the completion date blew out by another year until, finally, the completion date was to be 2013, with the hospital opening in 2014. If those beds had been ready now, it would have been a different story. If we had had the additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup hospitals, it would have been a different story. The problem now is that there is an ever-increasing demand for the same number of beds. Although we are struggling under the four-hour rule, if we had not had the four-hour rule this year, I believe there would have been chaos in trying to deal with that increased demand. That has been the only way that we have been able to deal with the ever-increasing demand and the lack of beds. Our hospitals are running, as they were under the previous government, at 95 to 105 per cent occupancy. As we open those additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup, as recommended in the Reid review, it will take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members. Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
Dr K.D. HAMES : The member does not even know that it is rubbish because he could not have heard me because he was talking. Why does he not stop talking and listen? The opposition would have us believe — Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : The opposition would have us believe that ramping started under this government and is now the worst it has ever been. Neither of those propositions is true. When the Labor Party was in power, ramping was very low in the first half of its time in government. The graph—unfortunately, I do not have it with me—shows that there was a significant increase in ramping in 2006 and it reached its peak in guess what year? It reached its peak in 2008—just before we took government. The worst year on record was 2008, the last year of the Labor government. It has improved since then. There have been problems in managing ambulance ramping at our hospitals; I do not deny that it is a problem. We have found that with a six per cent increase in demand—it was a three per cent increase last year—to be met by roughly the same number of beds in the system, it is very difficult for our hospitals to cope. The Australian Medical Association was right when it said that a lot of the problem relates to a lack of beds in our tertiary system. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Let me say something. Fiona Stanley Hospital was supposed to be ready initially by 2010. Each year that the Labor government was in power, the completion date blew out by another year until, finally, the completion date was to be 2013, with the hospital opening in 2014. If those beds had been ready now, it would have been a different story. If we had had the additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup hospitals, it would have been a different story. The problem now is that there is an ever-increasing demand for the same number of beds. Although we are struggling under the four-hour rule, if we had not had the four-hour rule this year, I believe there would have been chaos in trying to deal with that increased demand. That has been the only way that we have been able to deal with the ever-increasing demand and the lack of beds. Our hospitals are running, as they were under the previous government, at 95 to 105 per cent occupancy. As we open those additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup, as recommended in the Reid review, it will take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members. Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : The opposition would have us believe that ramping started under this government and is now the worst it has ever been. Neither of those propositions is true. When the Labor Party was in power, ramping was very low in the first half of its time in government. The graph—unfortunately, I do not have it with me—shows that there was a significant increase in ramping in 2006 and it reached its peak in guess what year? It reached its peak in 2008—just before we took government. The worst year on record was 2008, the last year of the Labor government. It has improved since then. There have been problems in managing ambulance ramping at our hospitals; I do not deny that it is a problem. We have found that with a six per cent increase in demand—it was a three per cent increase last year—to be met by roughly the same number of beds in the system, it is very difficult for our hospitals to cope. The Australian Medical Association was right when it said that a lot of the problem relates to a lack of beds in our tertiary system. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Let me say something. Fiona Stanley Hospital was supposed to be ready initially by 2010. Each year that the Labor government was in power, the completion date blew out by another year until, finally, the completion date was to be 2013, with the hospital opening in 2014. If those beds had been ready now, it would have been a different story. If we had had the additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup hospitals, it would have been a different story. The problem now is that there is an ever-increasing demand for the same number of beds. Although we are struggling under the four-hour rule, if we had not had the four-hour rule this year, I believe there would have been chaos in trying to deal with that increased demand. That has been the only way that we have been able to deal with the ever-increasing demand and the lack of beds. Our hospitals are running, as they were under the previous government, at 95 to 105 per cent occupancy. As we open those additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup, as recommended in the Reid review, it will take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members. Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : The opposition would have us believe that ramping started under this government and is now the worst it has ever been. Neither of those propositions is true. When the Labor Party was in power, ramping was very low in the first half of its time in government. The graph—unfortunately, I do not have it with me—shows that there was a significant increase in ramping in 2006 and it reached its peak in guess what year? It reached its peak in 2008—just before we took government. The worst year on record was 2008, the last year of the Labor government. It has improved since then. There have been problems in managing ambulance ramping at our hospitals; I do not deny that it is a problem. We have found that with a six per cent increase in demand—it was a three per cent increase last year—to be met by roughly the same number of beds in the system, it is very difficult for our hospitals to cope. The Australian Medical Association was right when it said that a lot of the problem relates to a lack of beds in our tertiary system. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Let me say something. Fiona Stanley Hospital was supposed to be ready initially by 2010. Each year that the Labor government was in power, the completion date blew out by another year until, finally, the completion date was to be 2013, with the hospital opening in 2014. If those beds had been ready now, it would have been a different story. If we had had the additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup hospitals, it would have been a different story. The problem now is that there is an ever-increasing demand for the same number of beds. Although we are struggling under the four-hour rule, if we had not had the four-hour rule this year, I believe there would have been chaos in trying to deal with that increased demand. That has been the only way that we have been able to deal with the ever-increasing demand and the lack of beds. Our hospitals are running, as they were under the previous government, at 95 to 105 per cent occupancy. As we open those additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup, as recommended in the Reid review, it will take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members. Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
Dr K.D. HAMES : The opposition would have us believe that ramping started under this government and is now the worst it has ever been. Neither of those propositions is true. When the Labor Party was in power, ramping was very low in the first half of its time in government. The graph—unfortunately, I do not have it with me—shows that there was a significant increase in ramping in 2006 and it reached its peak in guess what year? It reached its peak in 2008—just before we took government. The worst year on record was 2008, the last year of the Labor government. It has improved since then. There have been problems in managing ambulance ramping at our hospitals; I do not deny that it is a problem. We have found that with a six per cent increase in demand—it was a three per cent increase last year—to be met by roughly the same number of beds in the system, it is very difficult for our hospitals to cope. The Australian Medical Association was right when it said that a lot of the problem relates to a lack of beds in our tertiary system. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Let me say something. Fiona Stanley Hospital was supposed to be ready initially by 2010. Each year that the Labor government was in power, the completion date blew out by another year until, finally, the completion date was to be 2013, with the hospital opening in 2014. If those beds had been ready now, it would have been a different story. If we had had the additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup hospitals, it would have been a different story. The problem now is that there is an ever-increasing demand for the same number of beds. Although we are struggling under the four-hour rule, if we had not had the four-hour rule this year, I believe there would have been chaos in trying to deal with that increased demand. That has been the only way that we have been able to deal with the ever-increasing demand and the lack of beds. Our hospitals are running, as they were under the previous government, at 95 to 105 per cent occupancy. As we open those additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup, as recommended in the Reid review, it will take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members. Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Dr K.D. HAMES : Let me say something. Fiona Stanley Hospital was supposed to be ready initially by 2010. Each year that the Labor government was in power, the completion date blew out by another year until, finally, the completion date was to be 2013, with the hospital opening in 2014. If those beds had been ready now, it would have been a different story. If we had had the additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup hospitals, it would have been a different story. The problem now is that there is an ever-increasing demand for the same number of beds. Although we are struggling under the four-hour rule, if we had not had the four-hour rule this year, I believe there would have been chaos in trying to deal with that increased demand. That has been the only way that we have been able to deal with the ever-increasing demand and the lack of beds. Our hospitals are running, as they were under the previous government, at 95 to 105 per cent occupancy. As we open those additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup, as recommended in the Reid review, it will take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members. Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
Dr K.D. HAMES : Let me say something. Fiona Stanley Hospital was supposed to be ready initially by 2010. Each year that the Labor government was in power, the completion date blew out by another year until, finally, the completion date was to be 2013, with the hospital opening in 2014. If those beds had been ready now, it would have been a different story. If we had had the additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup hospitals, it would have been a different story. The problem now is that there is an ever-increasing demand for the same number of beds. Although we are struggling under the four-hour rule, if we had not had the four-hour rule this year, I believe there would have been chaos in trying to deal with that increased demand. That has been the only way that we have been able to deal with the ever-increasing demand and the lack of beds. Our hospitals are running, as they were under the previous government, at 95 to 105 per cent occupancy. As we open those additional beds at Rockingham and Joondalup, as recommended in the Reid review, it will take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members. Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members. Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
The SPEAKER : Thank you, members. Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
Dr K.D. HAMES : Here is the graph. I thank my staff for sending it in to me. It shows two things. This is the graph of ambulance ramping up until 2006. Then there is the graph for 2007, when, as members can see, it peaked, but the rate was at its highest in 2008. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
Mrs M.H. Roberts : Where’s 2010? Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
Dr K.D. HAMES : This is the rate for 2010, but it is not for the full year because it is still 2010. But it is lower than it was when the Labor Party was in government. I am happy to show members the graphs so that they can make a comparison of the rates. This is the graph that shows when it was the highest under the previous government. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
Mr R.H. Cook interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
The SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana! Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
Dr K.D. HAMES : As the peripheral hospitals open, particularly Rockingham, now that we have the clearances that we needed so that those beds are in the process of being opened, we will be able to take the pressure off our tertiary hospitals and have an additional avenue for Peel Health Campus. Peel and Joondalup Health Campuses have had difficulties for a long time, with the demand increasing but not being offset. As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
As to the member’s comment about getting some direction about diversion, I have made no directions and, in fact, have made no comments to anybody in my office or at the health department about the use of the word “diversion”.
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