❓ Mr. Cook questions the Minister for Health regarding the WA Adult Cancer Care Taskforce Report, specifically whether the Minister believes the report's authors exaggerated problems in cancer services. The Minister denies this, stating individual doctor's comments were anecdotal and the interpretation of the report has been hysterical.
AnsweredQoN 681Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WA ADULT CANCER CARE TASKFORCE REPORT
681. Mr R.H. COOK to the
Minister for Health:
I have a supplementary question. Given the minister's
glowing endorsement of the report just now, does he believe that the report's
authors—20 respected senior doctors, nurses and heads of department—were
exaggerating the problems in cancer services and were being hysterical?
681. Mr R.H. COOK to the
Minister for Health:
I have a supplementary question. Given the minister's
glowing endorsement of the report just now, does he believe that the report's
authors—20 respected senior doctors, nurses and heads of department—were
exaggerating the problems in cancer services and were being hysterical?
AnswerView source ↗
No. I have never said that they were
being hysterical. I do not know who said that.
Mr
W.J. Johnston interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Cannington!
Dr
K.D. HAMES : What I did say was that some of the comments that were made by
individual doctors were anecdotal; they do not match the statistics that we
have about levels of cancer care. I think what has been hysterical is the
interpretation of some of the words that are in that report.
Mr
R.H. Cook : Do you think they exaggerated the issues?
Ms
S.F. McGurk : You are more interested in protecting your back.
Dr
K.D. HAMES : No. I do not know whom I am protecting; I do not know who said
what.
The severity of the conditions that
were in there by individual doctors and what they said does not reflect the
facts that we have about standards of care in our hospitals. That is all I can
say about the matter. As I said, the report is a good report; it is very clear
about the things that need to be done. We are not fully convinced that all of
the issues, as they presented them, are things that need to be addressed, but
we are working through that with Professor Saunders and making sure that we get
an improved standard of care.
being hysterical. I do not know who said that.
Mr
W.J. Johnston interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Cannington!
Dr
K.D. HAMES : What I did say was that some of the comments that were made by
individual doctors were anecdotal; they do not match the statistics that we
have about levels of cancer care. I think what has been hysterical is the
interpretation of some of the words that are in that report.
Mr
R.H. Cook : Do you think they exaggerated the issues?
Ms
S.F. McGurk : You are more interested in protecting your back.
Dr
K.D. HAMES : No. I do not know whom I am protecting; I do not know who said
what.
The severity of the conditions that
were in there by individual doctors and what they said does not reflect the
facts that we have about standards of care in our hospitals. That is all I can
say about the matter. As I said, the report is a good report; it is very clear
about the things that need to be done. We are not fully convinced that all of
the issues, as they presented them, are things that need to be addressed, but
we are working through that with Professor Saunders and making sure that we get
an improved standard of care.
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