Dr. Woollard questions the need for an MRI scanner at Fremantle Hospital and the reversal of a previous decision. Mr. Kucera's response indicates conditional approval and attempts to involve private operators.

AnsweredQoN 778Legislative Assembly
Asked
13 March 2002
Portfolio
Health

QuestionView source ↗

MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING MACHINE, FREMANTLE HOSPITAL
(1) Does Fremantle Hospital need a magnetic resonance imaging scanner? (2) Has it put forward to the Department of Health proposals justifying its case for an MRI scanner? (3) Did the previous state coalition Government approve an MRI scanner installation at Fremantle Hospital irrespective of whether it had a licence to raise revenue; and, if yes, why has the state Labor Government reversed that decision? Mr KUCERA

AnswerView source ↗

(1)-(3) I answered this question at length yesterday. Mr Board: No, you did not. Mr KUCERA: As I understand it, approval was reliant upon the hospital obtaining a licence, in the same way as it was for Princess Margaret Hospital. Some $2 million is set aside for the purchase of the machine for Fremantle Hospital. Money is also set aside in the budget for the purchase of a machine for Princess Margaret Hospital. These machines have to be run at a legitimate cost. Neither the member for Murdoch nor I mentioned this yesterday, but the Government has approached private operators. Mr Board: Who? The SPEAKER: Member for Murdoch! Mr KUCERA: It is to see whether we would be able, through the Fremantle Hospital system, to persuade private operators to relocate to Fremantle Hospital. Because the previous federal Minister for Health and Ageing allowed the majority of machines in this State to be in the private sector, private operators are going like gang busters and making lots of money. If members were in their position, would they relocate into a public hospital? Of course they would not.
(2) Has it put forward to the Department of Health proposals justifying its case for an MRI scanner? (3) Did the previous state coalition Government approve an MRI scanner installation at Fremantle Hospital irrespective of whether it had a licence to raise revenue; and, if yes, why has the state Labor Government reversed that decision? Mr KUCERA replied: (1)-(3) I answered this question at length yesterday. Mr Board: No, you did not. Mr KUCERA: As I understand it, approval was reliant upon the hospital obtaining a licence, in the same way as it was for Princess Margaret Hospital. Some $2 million is set aside for the purchase of the machine for Fremantle Hospital. Money is also set aside in the budget for the purchase of a machine for Princess Margaret Hospital. These machines have to be run at a legitimate cost. Neither the member for Murdoch nor I mentioned this yesterday, but the Government has approached private operators. Mr Board: Who? The SPEAKER: Member for Murdoch! Mr KUCERA: It is to see whether we would be able, through the Fremantle Hospital system, to persuade private operators to relocate to Fremantle Hospital. Because the previous federal Minister for Health and Ageing allowed the majority of machines in this State to be in the private sector, private operators are going like gang busters and making lots of money. If members were in their position, would they relocate into a public hospital? Of course they would not.
(3) Did the previous state coalition Government approve an MRI scanner installation at Fremantle Hospital irrespective of whether it had a licence to raise revenue; and, if yes, why has the state Labor Government reversed that decision? Mr KUCERA replied: (1)-(3) I answered this question at length yesterday. Mr Board: No, you did not. Mr KUCERA: As I understand it, approval was reliant upon the hospital obtaining a licence, in the same way as it was for Princess Margaret Hospital. Some $2 million is set aside for the purchase of the machine for Fremantle Hospital. Money is also set aside in the budget for the purchase of a machine for Princess Margaret Hospital. These machines have to be run at a legitimate cost. Neither the member for Murdoch nor I mentioned this yesterday, but the Government has approached private operators. Mr Board: Who? The SPEAKER: Member for Murdoch! Mr KUCERA: It is to see whether we would be able, through the Fremantle Hospital system, to persuade private operators to relocate to Fremantle Hospital. Because the previous federal Minister for Health and Ageing allowed the majority of machines in this State to be in the private sector, private operators are going like gang busters and making lots of money. If members were in their position, would they relocate into a public hospital? Of course they would not.
Mr KUCERA replied: (1)-(3) I answered this question at length yesterday. Mr Board: No, you did not. Mr KUCERA: As I understand it, approval was reliant upon the hospital obtaining a licence, in the same way as it was for Princess Margaret Hospital. Some $2 million is set aside for the purchase of the machine for Fremantle Hospital. Money is also set aside in the budget for the purchase of a machine for Princess Margaret Hospital. These machines have to be run at a legitimate cost. Neither the member for Murdoch nor I mentioned this yesterday, but the Government has approached private operators. Mr Board: Who? The SPEAKER: Member for Murdoch! Mr KUCERA: It is to see whether we would be able, through the Fremantle Hospital system, to persuade private operators to relocate to Fremantle Hospital. Because the previous federal Minister for Health and Ageing allowed the majority of machines in this State to be in the private sector, private operators are going like gang busters and making lots of money. If members were in their position, would they relocate into a public hospital? Of course they would not.
(1)-(3) I answered this question at length yesterday. Mr Board: No, you did not. Mr KUCERA: As I understand it, approval was reliant upon the hospital obtaining a licence, in the same way as it was for Princess Margaret Hospital. Some $2 million is set aside for the purchase of the machine for Fremantle Hospital. Money is also set aside in the budget for the purchase of a machine for Princess Margaret Hospital. These machines have to be run at a legitimate cost. Neither the member for Murdoch nor I mentioned this yesterday, but the Government has approached private operators. Mr Board: Who? The SPEAKER: Member for Murdoch! Mr KUCERA: It is to see whether we would be able, through the Fremantle Hospital system, to persuade private operators to relocate to Fremantle Hospital. Because the previous federal Minister for Health and Ageing allowed the majority of machines in this State to be in the private sector, private operators are going like gang busters and making lots of money. If members were in their position, would they relocate into a public hospital? Of course they would not.
Mr Board: No, you did not. Mr KUCERA: As I understand it, approval was reliant upon the hospital obtaining a licence, in the same way as it was for Princess Margaret Hospital. Some $2 million is set aside for the purchase of the machine for Fremantle Hospital. Money is also set aside in the budget for the purchase of a machine for Princess Margaret Hospital. These machines have to be run at a legitimate cost. Neither the member for Murdoch nor I mentioned this yesterday, but the Government has approached private operators. Mr Board: Who? The SPEAKER: Member for Murdoch! Mr KUCERA: It is to see whether we would be able, through the Fremantle Hospital system, to persuade private operators to relocate to Fremantle Hospital. Because the previous federal Minister for Health and Ageing allowed the majority of machines in this State to be in the private sector, private operators are going like gang busters and making lots of money. If members were in their position, would they relocate into a public hospital? Of course they would not.
Mr KUCERA: As I understand it, approval was reliant upon the hospital obtaining a licence, in the same way as it was for Princess Margaret Hospital. Some $2 million is set aside for the purchase of the machine for Fremantle Hospital. Money is also set aside in the budget for the purchase of a machine for Princess Margaret Hospital. These machines have to be run at a legitimate cost. Neither the member for Murdoch nor I mentioned this yesterday, but the Government has approached private operators. Mr Board: Who? The SPEAKER: Member for Murdoch! Mr KUCERA: It is to see whether we would be able, through the Fremantle Hospital system, to persuade private operators to relocate to Fremantle Hospital. Because the previous federal Minister for Health and Ageing allowed the majority of machines in this State to be in the private sector, private operators are going like gang busters and making lots of money. If members were in their position, would they relocate into a public hospital? Of course they would not.
Mr Board: Who? The SPEAKER: Member for Murdoch! Mr KUCERA: It is to see whether we would be able, through the Fremantle Hospital system, to persuade private operators to relocate to Fremantle Hospital. Because the previous federal Minister for Health and Ageing allowed the majority of machines in this State to be in the private sector, private operators are going like gang busters and making lots of money. If members were in their position, would they relocate into a public hospital? Of course they would not.
The SPEAKER: Member for Murdoch! Mr KUCERA: It is to see whether we would be able, through the Fremantle Hospital system, to persuade private operators to relocate to Fremantle Hospital. Because the previous federal Minister for Health and Ageing allowed the majority of machines in this State to be in the private sector, private operators are going like gang busters and making lots of money. If members were in their position, would they relocate into a public hospital? Of course they would not.
Mr KUCERA: It is to see whether we would be able, through the Fremantle Hospital system, to persuade private operators to relocate to Fremantle Hospital. Because the previous federal Minister for Health and Ageing allowed the majority of machines in this State to be in the private sector, private operators are going like gang busters and making lots of money. If members were in their position, would they relocate into a public hospital? Of course they would not.

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