Hon Ken Baston questions the Minister for Health regarding the renewal of doctor contracts in Wyndham and the impact on healthcare services for Wyndham, Oombulgurri, and Kalumburu if doctors choose not to reside in Wyndham. The Minister assures that service levels will be maintained regardless of residency.

AnsweredQoN 115Legislative Council
Asked
27 February 2008
Portfolio
Health

QuestionView source ↗

WYNDHAM DOCTORS — CONTRACT RENEWAL 115. Hon KEN BASTON to the minister representing the Minister for Health: I refer to question without notice 54 of Thursday, 21 February 2008, and note that the minister declined to confirm whether, when contracts are renewed, the doctors would continue to reside in Wyndham. (1) What is the current service provided to the communities of Wyndham, Oombulgurri and Kalumburu while the doctors are residing in Wyndham? (2) Will the minister show how this level of service will be maintained if the doctors do not reside in Wyndham? (3) Is the intention of the WA Country Health Service-Kimberley that one or both doctors will reside in a place other than Wyndham when the contracts are renewed? Hon SUE ELLERY

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the member for some notice of the question. (1) There are two resident district medical officer positions at Wyndham District Hospital that provide 24-hour coverage to the hospital by a rotation of doctors located in Kununurra. For emergencies out of hours, these doctors operate on an on-call basis. (2) Doctors recruited to these positions will have the option of residing in Wyndham or Kununurra. There will also be regular rotations of medical staff with the appropriate skills. Should doctors attracted to these positions choose to reside outside Wyndham, the number of positions in Kununurra will be increased to continue to provide the same level of service to Wyndham. (3) Doctors employed in the positions will have the opportunity to reside in Wyndham.
WYNDHAM DOCTORS — CONTRACT RENEWAL
I refer to question without notice 54 of Thursday, 21 February 2008, and note that the minister declined to confirm whether, when contracts are renewed, the doctors would continue to reside in Wyndham. (1) What is the current service provided to the communities of Wyndham, Oombulgurri and Kalumburu while the doctors are residing in Wyndham? (2) Will the minister show how this level of service will be maintained if the doctors do not reside in Wyndham? (3) Is the intention of the WA Country Health Service-Kimberley that one or both doctors will reside in a place other than Wyndham when the contracts are renewed? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the member for some notice of the question. (1) There are two resident district medical officer positions at Wyndham District Hospital that provide 24-hour coverage to the hospital by a rotation of doctors located in Kununurra. For emergencies out of hours, these doctors operate on an on-call basis. (2) Doctors recruited to these positions will have the option of residing in Wyndham or Kununurra. There will also be regular rotations of medical staff with the appropriate skills. Should doctors attracted to these positions choose to reside outside Wyndham, the number of positions in Kununurra will be increased to continue to provide the same level of service to Wyndham. (3) Doctors employed in the positions will have the opportunity to reside in Wyndham.
(1) What is the current service provided to the communities of Wyndham, Oombulgurri and Kalumburu while the doctors are residing in Wyndham? (2) Will the minister show how this level of service will be maintained if the doctors do not reside in Wyndham? (3) Is the intention of the WA Country Health Service-Kimberley that one or both doctors will reside in a place other than Wyndham when the contracts are renewed? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the member for some notice of the question. (1) There are two resident district medical officer positions at Wyndham District Hospital that provide 24-hour coverage to the hospital by a rotation of doctors located in Kununurra. For emergencies out of hours, these doctors operate on an on-call basis. (2) Doctors recruited to these positions will have the option of residing in Wyndham or Kununurra. There will also be regular rotations of medical staff with the appropriate skills. Should doctors attracted to these positions choose to reside outside Wyndham, the number of positions in Kununurra will be increased to continue to provide the same level of service to Wyndham. (3) Doctors employed in the positions will have the opportunity to reside in Wyndham.
(2) Will the minister show how this level of service will be maintained if the doctors do not reside in Wyndham? (3) Is the intention of the WA Country Health Service-Kimberley that one or both doctors will reside in a place other than Wyndham when the contracts are renewed? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the member for some notice of the question. (1) There are two resident district medical officer positions at Wyndham District Hospital that provide 24-hour coverage to the hospital by a rotation of doctors located in Kununurra. For emergencies out of hours, these doctors operate on an on-call basis. (2) Doctors recruited to these positions will have the option of residing in Wyndham or Kununurra. There will also be regular rotations of medical staff with the appropriate skills. Should doctors attracted to these positions choose to reside outside Wyndham, the number of positions in Kununurra will be increased to continue to provide the same level of service to Wyndham. (3) Doctors employed in the positions will have the opportunity to reside in Wyndham.
(3) Is the intention of the WA Country Health Service-Kimberley that one or both doctors will reside in a place other than Wyndham when the contracts are renewed? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the member for some notice of the question. (1) There are two resident district medical officer positions at Wyndham District Hospital that provide 24-hour coverage to the hospital by a rotation of doctors located in Kununurra. For emergencies out of hours, these doctors operate on an on-call basis. (2) Doctors recruited to these positions will have the option of residing in Wyndham or Kununurra. There will also be regular rotations of medical staff with the appropriate skills. Should doctors attracted to these positions choose to reside outside Wyndham, the number of positions in Kununurra will be increased to continue to provide the same level of service to Wyndham. (3) Doctors employed in the positions will have the opportunity to reside in Wyndham.
Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the member for some notice of the question. (1) There are two resident district medical officer positions at Wyndham District Hospital that provide 24-hour coverage to the hospital by a rotation of doctors located in Kununurra. For emergencies out of hours, these doctors operate on an on-call basis. (2) Doctors recruited to these positions will have the option of residing in Wyndham or Kununurra. There will also be regular rotations of medical staff with the appropriate skills. Should doctors attracted to these positions choose to reside outside Wyndham, the number of positions in Kununurra will be increased to continue to provide the same level of service to Wyndham. (3) Doctors employed in the positions will have the opportunity to reside in Wyndham.
I thank the member for some notice of the question. (1) There are two resident district medical officer positions at Wyndham District Hospital that provide 24-hour coverage to the hospital by a rotation of doctors located in Kununurra. For emergencies out of hours, these doctors operate on an on-call basis. (2) Doctors recruited to these positions will have the option of residing in Wyndham or Kununurra. There will also be regular rotations of medical staff with the appropriate skills. Should doctors attracted to these positions choose to reside outside Wyndham, the number of positions in Kununurra will be increased to continue to provide the same level of service to Wyndham. (3) Doctors employed in the positions will have the opportunity to reside in Wyndham.
(1) There are two resident district medical officer positions at Wyndham District Hospital that provide 24-hour coverage to the hospital by a rotation of doctors located in Kununurra. For emergencies out of hours, these doctors operate on an on-call basis. (2) Doctors recruited to these positions will have the option of residing in Wyndham or Kununurra. There will also be regular rotations of medical staff with the appropriate skills. Should doctors attracted to these positions choose to reside outside Wyndham, the number of positions in Kununurra will be increased to continue to provide the same level of service to Wyndham. (3) Doctors employed in the positions will have the opportunity to reside in Wyndham.
(2) Doctors recruited to these positions will have the option of residing in Wyndham or Kununurra. There will also be regular rotations of medical staff with the appropriate skills. Should doctors attracted to these positions choose to reside outside Wyndham, the number of positions in Kununurra will be increased to continue to provide the same level of service to Wyndham. (3) Doctors employed in the positions will have the opportunity to reside in Wyndham.
(3) Doctors employed in the positions will have the opportunity to reside in Wyndham.

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