❓ A parliamentary question scrutinising the staffing, costs, and performance of the Western Australian Country Health Service (WACHS), particularly regarding Indigenous health outcomes and service delivery in rural and remote areas.
AnsweredQoN 2183Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
On 1 July 2002, Western Australian Country Health Services (WACHS) was formed encapsulating all but one of the State's country healthcare regions. In 2005 WACHS took total control of all country healthcare services when the South West Area Health Service was integrated into it. WACHS’ Head Office is at 189 Wellington Street, Perth and it defines itself as the agency and location that will progress the implementation of rural, regional and remote healthcare reform, including project management, monitoring and reporting on all these implementations. I therefore ask the Minister -
(1) What is the number of staff currently employed in this office including full time, part time, contracted persons and consultants?
(2) How many senior administrative staff are currently employed there?
(3) How many of these senior administrative staff have a tertiary, or university degree relating to the delivery of healthcare services?
(4) How many healthcare workers are currently employed there?
(5) How many of these healthcare workers have a tertiary, or university degree in any form of recognised healthcare discipline?
(6) What was the total cost of running WACHS' Head Office in the 2002-2003 Financial Year, including any consultancy fees?
(7) What was the total cost of running WACHS' Head Office in the 2005-2006 Financial Year, including any consultancy fees?
(8) Given the questions (1) to (7) (inclusive) what are the answers regarding the same for -
(a) the WACHS’ Kimberley office;
(b) the Pilbara-Gascoyne office;
(c) the Midwest-Murchison office;
(d) the Wheatbelt office;
(e) the Goldfields-South East office;
(f) the South-West office (probably for 2005-2006 only); and
(g) the Great-Southern office?
(9) As WACHS Head Office implements and progresses all rural, regional and remote healthcare programs and services, who does the Minister hold accountable for -
(a) the deplorable state of Indigenous health;
(b) the obscenely high mortality rate among Indigenous people;
(c) the almost total lack of any form of mental healthcare professionals;
(d) the high rate of suicide; and
(e) the almost triple incidence of road death?
(10) Given that WACHS, the overseeing healthcare body that the Minister created, has had close to five years to make a positive impact on reducing rural, regional and remote healthcare problems, I ask the Minister what has WACHS accomplished by way of -
(a) a definable reduction in Indigenous health problems;
(b) a definable reduction in the mortality rate among Indigenous persons;
(c) a definable increase in the number of medical practitioners, specialist medical practitioners, sub-specialist medical practitioners and other healthcare professionals;
(d) a definable, meaningful increase in the number of psychiatrists and other mental healthcare professionals;
(e) a definable reduction in the suicide rate; and
(f) a reduction in the incidence of road death caused by delays in professional trauma management delivered at the accident scene and whilst in transit?
(1) What is the number of staff currently employed in this office including full time, part time, contracted persons and consultants?
(2) How many senior administrative staff are currently employed there?
(3) How many of these senior administrative staff have a tertiary, or university degree relating to the delivery of healthcare services?
(4) How many healthcare workers are currently employed there?
(5) How many of these healthcare workers have a tertiary, or university degree in any form of recognised healthcare discipline?
(6) What was the total cost of running WACHS' Head Office in the 2002-2003 Financial Year, including any consultancy fees?
(7) What was the total cost of running WACHS' Head Office in the 2005-2006 Financial Year, including any consultancy fees?
(8) Given the questions (1) to (7) (inclusive) what are the answers regarding the same for -
(a) the WACHS’ Kimberley office;
(b) the Pilbara-Gascoyne office;
(c) the Midwest-Murchison office;
(d) the Wheatbelt office;
(e) the Goldfields-South East office;
(f) the South-West office (probably for 2005-2006 only); and
(g) the Great-Southern office?
(9) As WACHS Head Office implements and progresses all rural, regional and remote healthcare programs and services, who does the Minister hold accountable for -
(a) the deplorable state of Indigenous health;
(b) the obscenely high mortality rate among Indigenous people;
(c) the almost total lack of any form of mental healthcare professionals;
(d) the high rate of suicide; and
(e) the almost triple incidence of road death?
(10) Given that WACHS, the overseeing healthcare body that the Minister created, has had close to five years to make a positive impact on reducing rural, regional and remote healthcare problems, I ask the Minister what has WACHS accomplished by way of -
(a) a definable reduction in Indigenous health problems;
(b) a definable reduction in the mortality rate among Indigenous persons;
(c) a definable increase in the number of medical practitioners, specialist medical practitioners, sub-specialist medical practitioners and other healthcare professionals;
(d) a definable, meaningful increase in the number of psychiatrists and other mental healthcare professionals;
(e) a definable reduction in the suicide rate; and
(f) a reduction in the incidence of road death caused by delays in professional trauma management delivered at the accident scene and whilst in transit?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
12 June 2007
Responded by
Minister for Health
Response time
35 days
(b) the Pilbara-Gascoyne office; (c) the Midwest-Murchison office; (d) the Wheatbelt office; (e) the Goldfields-South East office; (f) the South-West office (probably for 2005-2006 only); and (g) the Great-Southern office?
(c) the Midwest-Murchison office; (d) the Wheatbelt office; (e) the Goldfields-South East office; (f) the South-West office (probably for 2005-2006 only); and (g) the Great-Southern office?
(d) the Wheatbelt office; (e) the Goldfields-South East office; (f) the South-West office (probably for 2005-2006 only); and (g) the Great-Southern office?
(e) the Goldfields-South East office; (f) the South-West office (probably for 2005-2006 only); and (g) the Great-Southern office?
(f) the South-West office (probably for 2005-2006 only); and (g) the Great-Southern office?
(g) the Great-Southern office?
(b) the obscenely high mortality rate among Indigenous people; (c) the almost total lack of any form of mental healthcare professionals; (d) the high rate of suicide; and (e) the almost triple incidence of road death?
(c) the almost total lack of any form of mental healthcare professionals; (d) the high rate of suicide; and (e) the almost triple incidence of road death?
(d) the high rate of suicide; and (e) the almost triple incidence of road death?
(e) the almost triple incidence of road death?
(b) a definable reduction in the mortality rate among Indigenous persons; (c) a definable increase in the number of medical practitioners, specialist medical practitioners, sub-specialist medical practitioners and other healthcare professionals; (d) a definable, meaningful increase in the number of psychiatrists and other mental healthcare professionals; (e) a definable reduction in the suicide rate; and (f) a reduction in the incidence of road death caused by delays in professional trauma management delivered at the accident scene and whilst in transit?
(c) a definable increase in the number of medical practitioners, specialist medical practitioners, sub-specialist medical practitioners and other healthcare professionals; (d) a definable, meaningful increase in the number of psychiatrists and other mental healthcare professionals; (e) a definable reduction in the suicide rate; and (f) a reduction in the incidence of road death caused by delays in professional trauma management delivered at the accident scene and whilst in transit?
(d) a definable, meaningful increase in the number of psychiatrists and other mental healthcare professionals; (e) a definable reduction in the suicide rate; and (f) a reduction in the incidence of road death caused by delays in professional trauma management delivered at the accident scene and whilst in transit?
(e) a definable reduction in the suicide rate; and (f) a reduction in the incidence of road death caused by delays in professional trauma management delivered at the accident scene and whilst in transit?
(f) a reduction in the incidence of road death caused by delays in professional trauma management delivered at the accident scene and whilst in transit?
2. WA Country Health Service Area Office Senior Staff Executive Staff: Chief Executive Officer Executive Director Area Operations Executive Director Medical Services Executive Director Nursing Area Director Corporate and Finance Area Director Health Service Enhancement Total Executive Staff 6 Senior Managers Facilities and Assets (devolved from DoH) Knowledge Management Health Workforce Finance Executive Services Business Enhancement Health Strategies Total Senior Managers 7 Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
WA Country Health Service Area Office Senior Staff Executive Staff: Chief Executive Officer Executive Director Area Operations Executive Director Medical Services Executive Director Nursing Area Director Corporate and Finance Area Director Health Service Enhancement Total Executive Staff 6 Senior Managers Facilities and Assets (devolved from DoH) Knowledge Management Health Workforce Finance Executive Services Business Enhancement Health Strategies Total Senior Managers 7 Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Executive Staff: Chief Executive Officer Executive Director Area Operations Executive Director Medical Services Executive Director Nursing Area Director Corporate and Finance Area Director Health Service Enhancement Total Executive Staff 6 Senior Managers Facilities and Assets (devolved from DoH) Knowledge Management Health Workforce Finance Executive Services Business Enhancement Health Strategies Total Senior Managers 7 Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Chief Executive Officer Executive Director Area Operations Executive Director Medical Services Executive Director Nursing Area Director Corporate and Finance Area Director Health Service Enhancement Total Executive Staff 6 Senior Managers Facilities and Assets (devolved from DoH) Knowledge Management Health Workforce Finance Executive Services Business Enhancement Health Strategies Total Senior Managers 7 Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Executive Director Area Operations Executive Director Medical Services Executive Director Nursing Area Director Corporate and Finance Area Director Health Service Enhancement Total Executive Staff 6 Senior Managers Facilities and Assets (devolved from DoH) Knowledge Management Health Workforce Finance Executive Services Business Enhancement Health Strategies Total Senior Managers 7 Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Executive Director Medical Services Executive Director Nursing Area Director Corporate and Finance Area Director Health Service Enhancement Total Executive Staff 6 Senior Managers Facilities and Assets (devolved from DoH) Knowledge Management Health Workforce Finance Executive Services Business Enhancement Health Strategies Total Senior Managers 7 Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Executive Director Nursing Area Director Corporate and Finance Area Director Health Service Enhancement Total Executive Staff 6 Senior Managers Facilities and Assets (devolved from DoH) Knowledge Management Health Workforce Finance Executive Services Business Enhancement Health Strategies Total Senior Managers 7 Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Area Director Corporate and Finance Area Director Health Service Enhancement Total Executive Staff 6 Senior Managers Facilities and Assets (devolved from DoH) Knowledge Management Health Workforce Finance Executive Services Business Enhancement Health Strategies Total Senior Managers 7 Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Area Director Health Service Enhancement Total Executive Staff 6 Senior Managers Facilities and Assets (devolved from DoH) Knowledge Management Health Workforce Finance Executive Services Business Enhancement Health Strategies Total Senior Managers 7 Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Total Executive Staff 6 Senior Managers Facilities and Assets (devolved from DoH) Knowledge Management Health Workforce Finance Executive Services Business Enhancement Health Strategies Total Senior Managers 7 Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Senior Managers Facilities and Assets (devolved from DoH) Knowledge Management Health Workforce Finance Executive Services Business Enhancement Health Strategies Total Senior Managers 7 Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Facilities and Assets (devolved from DoH) Knowledge Management Health Workforce Finance Executive Services Business Enhancement Health Strategies Total Senior Managers 7 Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Knowledge Management Health Workforce Finance Executive Services Business Enhancement Health Strategies Total Senior Managers 7 Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Health Workforce Finance Executive Services Business Enhancement Health Strategies Total Senior Managers 7 Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Finance Executive Services Business Enhancement Health Strategies Total Senior Managers 7 Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Executive Services Business Enhancement Health Strategies Total Senior Managers 7 Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Business Enhancement Health Strategies Total Senior Managers 7 Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Health Strategies Total Senior Managers 7 Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Total Senior Managers 7 Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
(a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
(b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
(c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
(d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
(e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
(f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
(g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
(c) the Midwest-Murchison office; (d) the Wheatbelt office; (e) the Goldfields-South East office; (f) the South-West office (probably for 2005-2006 only); and (g) the Great-Southern office?
(d) the Wheatbelt office; (e) the Goldfields-South East office; (f) the South-West office (probably for 2005-2006 only); and (g) the Great-Southern office?
(e) the Goldfields-South East office; (f) the South-West office (probably for 2005-2006 only); and (g) the Great-Southern office?
(f) the South-West office (probably for 2005-2006 only); and (g) the Great-Southern office?
(g) the Great-Southern office?
(b) the obscenely high mortality rate among Indigenous people; (c) the almost total lack of any form of mental healthcare professionals; (d) the high rate of suicide; and (e) the almost triple incidence of road death?
(c) the almost total lack of any form of mental healthcare professionals; (d) the high rate of suicide; and (e) the almost triple incidence of road death?
(d) the high rate of suicide; and (e) the almost triple incidence of road death?
(e) the almost triple incidence of road death?
(b) a definable reduction in the mortality rate among Indigenous persons; (c) a definable increase in the number of medical practitioners, specialist medical practitioners, sub-specialist medical practitioners and other healthcare professionals; (d) a definable, meaningful increase in the number of psychiatrists and other mental healthcare professionals; (e) a definable reduction in the suicide rate; and (f) a reduction in the incidence of road death caused by delays in professional trauma management delivered at the accident scene and whilst in transit?
(c) a definable increase in the number of medical practitioners, specialist medical practitioners, sub-specialist medical practitioners and other healthcare professionals; (d) a definable, meaningful increase in the number of psychiatrists and other mental healthcare professionals; (e) a definable reduction in the suicide rate; and (f) a reduction in the incidence of road death caused by delays in professional trauma management delivered at the accident scene and whilst in transit?
(d) a definable, meaningful increase in the number of psychiatrists and other mental healthcare professionals; (e) a definable reduction in the suicide rate; and (f) a reduction in the incidence of road death caused by delays in professional trauma management delivered at the accident scene and whilst in transit?
(e) a definable reduction in the suicide rate; and (f) a reduction in the incidence of road death caused by delays in professional trauma management delivered at the accident scene and whilst in transit?
(f) a reduction in the incidence of road death caused by delays in professional trauma management delivered at the accident scene and whilst in transit?
2. WA Country Health Service Area Office Senior Staff Executive Staff: Chief Executive Officer Executive Director Area Operations Executive Director Medical Services Executive Director Nursing Area Director Corporate and Finance Area Director Health Service Enhancement Total Executive Staff 6 Senior Managers Facilities and Assets (devolved from DoH) Knowledge Management Health Workforce Finance Executive Services Business Enhancement Health Strategies Total Senior Managers 7 Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
WA Country Health Service Area Office Senior Staff Executive Staff: Chief Executive Officer Executive Director Area Operations Executive Director Medical Services Executive Director Nursing Area Director Corporate and Finance Area Director Health Service Enhancement Total Executive Staff 6 Senior Managers Facilities and Assets (devolved from DoH) Knowledge Management Health Workforce Finance Executive Services Business Enhancement Health Strategies Total Senior Managers 7 Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Executive Staff: Chief Executive Officer Executive Director Area Operations Executive Director Medical Services Executive Director Nursing Area Director Corporate and Finance Area Director Health Service Enhancement Total Executive Staff 6 Senior Managers Facilities and Assets (devolved from DoH) Knowledge Management Health Workforce Finance Executive Services Business Enhancement Health Strategies Total Senior Managers 7 Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Chief Executive Officer Executive Director Area Operations Executive Director Medical Services Executive Director Nursing Area Director Corporate and Finance Area Director Health Service Enhancement Total Executive Staff 6 Senior Managers Facilities and Assets (devolved from DoH) Knowledge Management Health Workforce Finance Executive Services Business Enhancement Health Strategies Total Senior Managers 7 Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Executive Director Area Operations Executive Director Medical Services Executive Director Nursing Area Director Corporate and Finance Area Director Health Service Enhancement Total Executive Staff 6 Senior Managers Facilities and Assets (devolved from DoH) Knowledge Management Health Workforce Finance Executive Services Business Enhancement Health Strategies Total Senior Managers 7 Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Executive Director Medical Services Executive Director Nursing Area Director Corporate and Finance Area Director Health Service Enhancement Total Executive Staff 6 Senior Managers Facilities and Assets (devolved from DoH) Knowledge Management Health Workforce Finance Executive Services Business Enhancement Health Strategies Total Senior Managers 7 Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Executive Director Nursing Area Director Corporate and Finance Area Director Health Service Enhancement Total Executive Staff 6 Senior Managers Facilities and Assets (devolved from DoH) Knowledge Management Health Workforce Finance Executive Services Business Enhancement Health Strategies Total Senior Managers 7 Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Area Director Corporate and Finance Area Director Health Service Enhancement Total Executive Staff 6 Senior Managers Facilities and Assets (devolved from DoH) Knowledge Management Health Workforce Finance Executive Services Business Enhancement Health Strategies Total Senior Managers 7 Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Area Director Health Service Enhancement Total Executive Staff 6 Senior Managers Facilities and Assets (devolved from DoH) Knowledge Management Health Workforce Finance Executive Services Business Enhancement Health Strategies Total Senior Managers 7 Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Total Executive Staff 6 Senior Managers Facilities and Assets (devolved from DoH) Knowledge Management Health Workforce Finance Executive Services Business Enhancement Health Strategies Total Senior Managers 7 Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Senior Managers Facilities and Assets (devolved from DoH) Knowledge Management Health Workforce Finance Executive Services Business Enhancement Health Strategies Total Senior Managers 7 Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Facilities and Assets (devolved from DoH) Knowledge Management Health Workforce Finance Executive Services Business Enhancement Health Strategies Total Senior Managers 7 Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Knowledge Management Health Workforce Finance Executive Services Business Enhancement Health Strategies Total Senior Managers 7 Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Health Workforce Finance Executive Services Business Enhancement Health Strategies Total Senior Managers 7 Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Finance Executive Services Business Enhancement Health Strategies Total Senior Managers 7 Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Executive Services Business Enhancement Health Strategies Total Senior Managers 7 Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Business Enhancement Health Strategies Total Senior Managers 7 Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Health Strategies Total Senior Managers 7 Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Total Senior Managers 7 Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Corporate Services Managers (Regionally based) 7 Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Total Area Office Senior Staff 20 3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
3. As per the Department of Health's policy on Use of Formal Qualifications OP 1684/03; all of the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
4. Patient services are not usually provided from administration offices. A new country patient Meet and Assist Service, comprising six full time equivalent (FTE), has just commenced from the WACHS Area Office in Perth. This has been established by the transfer of the former Aboriginal Patient Liaison Service staff and budget from the North Metropolitan Area Health Service to WACHS. Three FTE have been transferred and WACHS has invested an additional three FTE into this new and direct patient care service which will care for Aboriginal and non Aboriginal patients in need of special assistance coming into Perth hospitals. This is a new initiative, which was successfully piloted over the last twelve months and has now been set up permanently. 5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
5. The staff employed in the Meet and Assist Service will either have registration with the Nurses Board of WA or have an Advanced Certificate or Associate Diploma in Aboriginal Health. 6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
6. 2002-2003 was the start up year for WACHS, and their Perth office at that time operated from the Department of Health's Royal Street building. The initial staff complement consisted eleven FTE staff transferred to it from the Department of Health. The staff comprised the Chief Executive Officer and personal assistant, a business support officer, an accountant, two finance officers and five staff positions transferred from the former Rural Health Policy Unit. The salary and operating costs of the Perth office at that time was $1.863 million not including building costs and associated overheads. 7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
7. The total operational cost for the WACHS Area Office for 2005/06 was $6,626,000. This figure includes the cost of five administration functions (facilities and asset services, health promotion, safety and quality, telehealth and Aboriginal health coordination), which were devolved from the DoH to WACHS during 2004/05, together with the transfer of associated twelve FTE and budget of $1.058 million. The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
The total cost also includes the full operating expenditure of the Area Office at 189 Wellington Street Perth, and the salary costs of the area administration staff located in country regions and at DoH. 8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
8. In 2002-2003 there were forty-two separate hospital and health service boards, and regional offices did not exist. It is therefore not possible to provide responses for questions 1 to 6 for the 2002-2003 financial year. WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
WACHS has introduced consistent management structures in the seven regional networks. These networks have regional offices with a regional director, co-ordinator of executive services and a personal assistant. (a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
(a) Kimberley Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
7. $994,412. (b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
(b) Pilbara Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
7. $439,903. (c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
(c) Midwest office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
7. $481,178. (d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
(d) Wheatbelt office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
7. $345,201. (e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
(e) Goldfields Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
7. $467,329. (f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
(f) South West Office 1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
1. Three FTE. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
7. $384,467. (g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
(g) Great Southern Office 1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
1. There are two full time staff in the office with the coordinator of executive services position not yet filled. 2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
2. One. 3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
3. All the executives and senior managers have tertiary qualifications or an acceptable equivalent relating to the delivery and/or administration of healthcare services in order to meet job selection criteria and/or professional registration where required. 4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
4. There are no healthcare workers employed in the office. 5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
5. Not applicable. 6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
6. Refer to (8) preamble above. 7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
7. $369,019. Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Note: Regional office costs vary as a result of staff vacancies, higher staff housing, utility costs, fringe benefits tax and travel costs, especially in the North West. Some offices are located in rented premises whilst others are in WACHS owned premises. Some regions allocate costs such as clinical coding and Patients Assisted Travel Scheme costs to the regional office which also contributes to variances in expenditure. 9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
9. a) The Department of Health is accountable to the Minister for Health for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of health services to Aboriginal people covering acute hospital care, public health services, health promotion and prevention services. The Department also takes a leadership role in developing and promoting initiatives to improve Aboriginal health working in coordinated arrangements with communities and other agencies and levels of government. Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Other government agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health in WA, but not accountable to the Minister for Health, include the Australian Government and its agencies such as the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Transport and Regional Services. The WA Government Department of Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Housing and Works, WA Local Governments, Aboriginal people and communities throughout WA also have responsibility for Indigenous health. b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
b) Refer to 9 (a) above. c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
c) The Department of Health is accountable for the planning, development, delivery and monitoring of mental health services in both metropolitan and regional areas, in community mental health and hospital settings. The Australian Government finances mental health services (through private medical practitioners) under the Medicare Scheme. d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
d) The Department of Health is accountable for implementing and monitoring strategies to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are identified as potentially 'at risk' of attempting suicide. The Australian Government is responsible for strategic initiatives such as the National Suicide Prevention Strategy to coordinate prevention strategies targeted at groups identified as 'at risk'. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
e) The Department of Health is accountable for planning, developing, delivering and monitoring health services. It is not responsible for roads or directly for measures to reduce road accidents. Chief Executives in both the country and metropolitan Area Health Services are accountable to ensure there are emergency treatment services and inter-hospital patient transfer systems in place and capable of managing medical emergencies such as road trauma. Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Note: The WA Police Service statistics on traffic fatalities indicate that the incidence of death attributable to road accidents has not tripled. The Police Service statistics show that there were 117 deaths in regional WA in 2006 compared with 100 in 2004 and 112 in 2002. 10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
10 (a) and (b) Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Measures of health status reinforce that significant disparities exist between the indigenous and non-indigenous population of WA. Nevertheless, the small gains identified in the recent Australian Government's Department of Health and Aging report 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Report 2006', indicate that progress is being made in critical areas such as child mortality and circulatory diseases. The WACHS Aboriginal health initiatives, together with initiatives from other governments, agencies and people responsible for Indigenous health, are likely to have contributed to these improvements in WA. WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
WACHS has increased access to renal dialysis services provided closer to home, introduced extra visiting services to Aboriginal communities, employed more clinical and Aboriginal staff and directed more funds into transport services in remote areas. Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Last year WACHS has supported the transition of the management of the health services at the Balgo and surrounding communities from the Sisters of Mercy to the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service. New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
New capital works projects have been completed at Halls Creek and Derby and are underway at Port Hedland and Fitzroy Crossing. These investments will directly benefit Aboriginal patients who are in most cases the greatest users of these services. The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
The redevelopment of the Fitzroy Valley Health Service facilities is a breakthrough integration initiative involving a partnership with the local Nindillingari Cultural Health Service. This is a unique development and has been locally lead and given ongoing support from WACHS. In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
In response to health problems identified at Halls Creek again last year, WACHS has commenced a new medical detoxification program at the hospital and is co?funding a community alcohol/drug counsellor for the town in partnership with the Drug and Alcohol Office. WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
WACHS also funded a new youth mental health worker and is contributing $40,000 to support family counselling training program for four Aboriginal people from Halls Creek. Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Funding support is also being continued by WACHS for the Unity of First Peoples of Australia (UFPA) diabetes prevention and early intervention service in the Kimberley region, which is run in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital and the Kimberley Population Health team in Derby. The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
The WACHS - Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service supports and links the region's private general practitioners to all the region's health service providers by employing Aboriginal health workers and locating them within or alongside General Practitioner (GP) practices. The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
The partnership between the WACHS - Midwest and the Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (GRAMS) to provide numerous clinical services from GRAMS facilities has resulted in significantly increased Aboriginal access to those services and identifiable improvements in health outcomes. c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
c) WACHS has directed funds into an expanded medical workforce and increased visiting sub specialist services to all regions. Medical FTE have increased by 109 between July 2003 and June 2006, nursing staff increased by 56 FTE and allied health staff increased by 58 FTE. New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
New medical practitioner positions have been created in Broome, Port Hedland, Karratha, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Bunbury and Albany and new medical leadership roles have been established in each region. The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
The Australian Government provides funding and other support for the establishment of private medical practices in rural and remote areas. The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
The additional nursing and allied health FTE are for specific initiatives in aged care, safety and quality, nurse workload reductions and improved regional level nursing leadership. Other initiatives include the Ocean to Outback Nursing program, WACHS undergraduate intake program and the Rural Student Placement program. d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
d) WACHS employs specialist staff to deliver mental health services in all country regions and staffing levels have increased since 2002. There are now 280 actual FTE currently employed, including 18 doctors, 73 mental health nurses and 73 allied health practitioners, an increase of 40 FTE since 2002. Further to this, 31 FTE are being actively recruited and this includes 25 FTE for the expanded Acute Psychiatric Unit in Bunbury. e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
e) ABS figures show that the number of deaths by suicide in WA fell by 16% between 2002 and 2005 and that WA is equal to the Australian average. [Reference - ABS Report on Suicides 1995-2005 (released March 2007)]. WACHS has continually invested in expanding capacity of its regional mental health services to improve services and impact positively to prevent patient suicide by providing treatment and support programs to those at risk. Sadly, some people who successfully suicide had no history of mental illness and never came into contact with a mental health service. f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
f) The Department of Health provides a network of hospital emergency departments to treat victims of road trauma, and coordinates the transfer of patients between hospitals via the Royal Flying Doctor Service and/or ambulance services when required. WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
WACHS is investing in increased medical staffing in the emergency departments of its major regional and district hospitals. New roles for specialist emergency physicians are also being introduced into the regional resource centres as recruits become available. Positions for emergency medicine specialists have so far been established at Kalgoorlie and Port Hedland. Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
Transportation services as they relate to health system requirements were reviewed in 2004. In collaboration with the St John Ambulance Association, WACHS is piloting a co-funded paramedic program that aims to strengthen ambulance services in communities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service have also been given increased funding of $2.439 million over the last two years bringing total base funding to $15.791 million for 2005/06. A new service agreement aimed at improving patient retrieval response times is currently being developed. WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
WACHS has collaborated with the local communities of Northam and Narrogin in constructing helipads on the hospital sites to assist with emergency helicopter evacuation of accident victims to Perth. The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
The State Government introduced a helicopter retrieval service to improve emergency medical response and transit times for road trauma and other medical emergencies occurring within a 200 kilometre radius of Perth.
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