❓ The Health Minister outlines plans to establish a full-time salaried medical service at Nickol Bay Hospital in Karratha to alleviate pressure on local GPs and ensure adequate medical services, in line with the Norhealth 2020 plan.
AnsweredQoN 166Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
In view of the Government's policy of providing health services as close to home as possible, and the principles of the recently endorsed Norhealth 2020 plan, what action is being taken to ensure that adequate medical services are provided at Nickol Bay Hospital in Karratha? Mr DAY
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question. I have been aware for some time that the level of demand for treatment at Nickol Bay Hospital at Karratha has been such that it has imposed significant pressure on local general practitioners on a 24-hours-a-day basis. Although a number of GPs in Karratha have been supportive of the hospital, despite the pressure placed on them, the situation is no longer viable. I thank the doctors who have continued to provide support to the hospital in recent times, and the people who will continue to do so in the short-term future. It is absolutely essential that the hospital in Karratha provides 100 per cent coverage for accident and emergency cases, and for procedures such as obstetrics and anaesthetics. Anyone with knowledge of the conditions under which health services are provided in the north west is aware that they are to a large extent different from those in many other parts of Western Australia. With all this in mind, and as part of the Government's commitment under the Norhealth 2020 plan, I have approved the establishment of a full-time salaried medical service in Nickol Bay Hospital. This new service will result in the employment at the hospital of five salaried doctors with an appropriate skills mix. The recruitment of the five doctors is expected to take about four months and appropriate transitional arrangements will be in place during that time. Also, the Wickham and Roebourne hospitals will continue to be supported by medical services provided by local GPs, and both those hospitals will receive support from the salaried medical service in Karratha. This is one more of many commitments the Government is making to provide medical services in regional and rural Western Australia.
Mr DAY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. I have been aware for some time that the level of demand for treatment at Nickol Bay Hospital at Karratha has been such that it has imposed significant pressure on local general practitioners on a 24-hours-a-day basis. Although a number of GPs in Karratha have been supportive of the hospital, despite the pressure placed on them, the situation is no longer viable. I thank the doctors who have continued to provide support to the hospital in recent times, and the people who will continue to do so in the short-term future. It is absolutely essential that the hospital in Karratha provides 100 per cent coverage for accident and emergency cases, and for procedures such as obstetrics and anaesthetics. Anyone with knowledge of the conditions under which health services are provided in the north west is aware that they are to a large extent different from those in many other parts of Western Australia. With all this in mind, and as part of the Government's commitment under the Norhealth 2020 plan, I have approved the establishment of a full-time salaried medical service in Nickol Bay Hospital. This new service will result in the employment at the hospital of five salaried doctors with an appropriate skills mix. The recruitment of the five doctors is expected to take about four months and appropriate transitional arrangements will be in place during that time. Also, the Wickham and Roebourne hospitals will continue to be supported by medical services provided by local GPs, and both those hospitals will receive support from the salaried medical service in Karratha. This is one more of many commitments the Government is making to provide medical services in regional and rural Western Australia.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. I have been aware for some time that the level of demand for treatment at Nickol Bay Hospital at Karratha has been such that it has imposed significant pressure on local general practitioners on a 24-hours-a-day basis. Although a number of GPs in Karratha have been supportive of the hospital, despite the pressure placed on them, the situation is no longer viable. I thank the doctors who have continued to provide support to the hospital in recent times, and the people who will continue to do so in the short-term future. It is absolutely essential that the hospital in Karratha provides 100 per cent coverage for accident and emergency cases, and for procedures such as obstetrics and anaesthetics. Anyone with knowledge of the conditions under which health services are provided in the north west is aware that they are to a large extent different from those in many other parts of Western Australia. With all this in mind, and as part of the Government's commitment under the Norhealth 2020 plan, I have approved the establishment of a full-time salaried medical service in Nickol Bay Hospital. This new service will result in the employment at the hospital of five salaried doctors with an appropriate skills mix. The recruitment of the five doctors is expected to take about four months and appropriate transitional arrangements will be in place during that time. Also, the Wickham and Roebourne hospitals will continue to be supported by medical services provided by local GPs, and both those hospitals will receive support from the salaried medical service in Karratha. This is one more of many commitments the Government is making to provide medical services in regional and rural Western Australia.
It is absolutely essential that the hospital in Karratha provides 100 per cent coverage for accident and emergency cases, and for procedures such as obstetrics and anaesthetics. Anyone with knowledge of the conditions under which health services are provided in the north west is aware that they are to a large extent different from those in many other parts of Western Australia. With all this in mind, and as part of the Government's commitment under the Norhealth 2020 plan, I have approved the establishment of a full-time salaried medical service in Nickol Bay Hospital. This new service will result in the employment at the hospital of five salaried doctors with an appropriate skills mix. The recruitment of the five doctors is expected to take about four months and appropriate transitional arrangements will be in place during that time. Also, the Wickham and Roebourne hospitals will continue to be supported by medical services provided by local GPs, and both those hospitals will receive support from the salaried medical service in Karratha. This is one more of many commitments the Government is making to provide medical services in regional and rural Western Australia.
With all this in mind, and as part of the Government's commitment under the Norhealth 2020 plan, I have approved the establishment of a full-time salaried medical service in Nickol Bay Hospital. This new service will result in the employment at the hospital of five salaried doctors with an appropriate skills mix. The recruitment of the five doctors is expected to take about four months and appropriate transitional arrangements will be in place during that time. Also, the Wickham and Roebourne hospitals will continue to be supported by medical services provided by local GPs, and both those hospitals will receive support from the salaried medical service in Karratha. This is one more of many commitments the Government is making to provide medical services in regional and rural Western Australia.
Mr DAY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. I have been aware for some time that the level of demand for treatment at Nickol Bay Hospital at Karratha has been such that it has imposed significant pressure on local general practitioners on a 24-hours-a-day basis. Although a number of GPs in Karratha have been supportive of the hospital, despite the pressure placed on them, the situation is no longer viable. I thank the doctors who have continued to provide support to the hospital in recent times, and the people who will continue to do so in the short-term future. It is absolutely essential that the hospital in Karratha provides 100 per cent coverage for accident and emergency cases, and for procedures such as obstetrics and anaesthetics. Anyone with knowledge of the conditions under which health services are provided in the north west is aware that they are to a large extent different from those in many other parts of Western Australia. With all this in mind, and as part of the Government's commitment under the Norhealth 2020 plan, I have approved the establishment of a full-time salaried medical service in Nickol Bay Hospital. This new service will result in the employment at the hospital of five salaried doctors with an appropriate skills mix. The recruitment of the five doctors is expected to take about four months and appropriate transitional arrangements will be in place during that time. Also, the Wickham and Roebourne hospitals will continue to be supported by medical services provided by local GPs, and both those hospitals will receive support from the salaried medical service in Karratha. This is one more of many commitments the Government is making to provide medical services in regional and rural Western Australia.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. I have been aware for some time that the level of demand for treatment at Nickol Bay Hospital at Karratha has been such that it has imposed significant pressure on local general practitioners on a 24-hours-a-day basis. Although a number of GPs in Karratha have been supportive of the hospital, despite the pressure placed on them, the situation is no longer viable. I thank the doctors who have continued to provide support to the hospital in recent times, and the people who will continue to do so in the short-term future. It is absolutely essential that the hospital in Karratha provides 100 per cent coverage for accident and emergency cases, and for procedures such as obstetrics and anaesthetics. Anyone with knowledge of the conditions under which health services are provided in the north west is aware that they are to a large extent different from those in many other parts of Western Australia. With all this in mind, and as part of the Government's commitment under the Norhealth 2020 plan, I have approved the establishment of a full-time salaried medical service in Nickol Bay Hospital. This new service will result in the employment at the hospital of five salaried doctors with an appropriate skills mix. The recruitment of the five doctors is expected to take about four months and appropriate transitional arrangements will be in place during that time. Also, the Wickham and Roebourne hospitals will continue to be supported by medical services provided by local GPs, and both those hospitals will receive support from the salaried medical service in Karratha. This is one more of many commitments the Government is making to provide medical services in regional and rural Western Australia.
It is absolutely essential that the hospital in Karratha provides 100 per cent coverage for accident and emergency cases, and for procedures such as obstetrics and anaesthetics. Anyone with knowledge of the conditions under which health services are provided in the north west is aware that they are to a large extent different from those in many other parts of Western Australia. With all this in mind, and as part of the Government's commitment under the Norhealth 2020 plan, I have approved the establishment of a full-time salaried medical service in Nickol Bay Hospital. This new service will result in the employment at the hospital of five salaried doctors with an appropriate skills mix. The recruitment of the five doctors is expected to take about four months and appropriate transitional arrangements will be in place during that time. Also, the Wickham and Roebourne hospitals will continue to be supported by medical services provided by local GPs, and both those hospitals will receive support from the salaried medical service in Karratha. This is one more of many commitments the Government is making to provide medical services in regional and rural Western Australia.
With all this in mind, and as part of the Government's commitment under the Norhealth 2020 plan, I have approved the establishment of a full-time salaried medical service in Nickol Bay Hospital. This new service will result in the employment at the hospital of five salaried doctors with an appropriate skills mix. The recruitment of the five doctors is expected to take about four months and appropriate transitional arrangements will be in place during that time. Also, the Wickham and Roebourne hospitals will continue to be supported by medical services provided by local GPs, and both those hospitals will receive support from the salaried medical service in Karratha. This is one more of many commitments the Government is making to provide medical services in regional and rural Western Australia.
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