❓ Ms. Mettam questions the Premier on increased ambulance ramping and elective surgery waitlists compared to when he was in opposition. The Premier defends his government's increased health spending and attributes the issues to the global pandemic.
AnsweredQoN 370Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
AMBULANCE
RAMPING — ELECTIVE SURGERY WAITLISTS
370. Ms L. METTAM to the Premier:
I refer to comments made by the
Premier in opposition that 16 000 hours of ambulance ramping and 19 464 people
on the elective surgery waitlist were shocking statistics. If they were
shocking statistics, what does the Premier call ambulance ramping being the
highest ever recorded at 66 000 hours last year and 27 000 people now waiting
for elective surgery, which is an increase of 42 per cent since 2017?
RAMPING — ELECTIVE SURGERY WAITLISTS
370. Ms L. METTAM to the Premier:
I refer to comments made by the
Premier in opposition that 16 000 hours of ambulance ramping and 19 464 people
on the elective surgery waitlist were shocking statistics. If they were
shocking statistics, what does the Premier call ambulance ramping being the
highest ever recorded at 66 000 hours last year and 27 000 people now waiting
for elective surgery, which is an increase of 42 per cent since 2017?
AnswerView source ↗
That sounds remarkably like a question
we had yesterday, but I am happy to answer it again. As I said, the Western Australian
public expect to see their government investing in their health system to make
sure that it can withstand the shocks to the system that it receives from time
to time. That is why we have increased the health budget in excess of 33 per cent
since coming to office. The Mental Health Commission's budget has
increased by over 50 per cent since we came
to office. That is what the Western Australian public want to see: a government
that backs the health system and
continues to provide the resources it needs to meet the challenges that it
faces. Something has happened since I was in opposition. Apart from the
fact that we now have a decent government, we have had a global pandemic. Maybe
the member missed it. Maybe she was too busy trying to tear down Western Australia's border to really notice the impact of the
pandemic. The pandemic has basically created imbalance in all health systems right across the country, and that is why health systems everywhere in
Australia at the moment are struggling to cope with the change in patterns of
consumption by patients and people seeking care.
In
the last two years alone, we have increased the number of beds in our hospital
system by over 540. That is almost the equivalent of a whole new
tertiary hospital. That is what we need to do to make sure that we get on top
of these shocks to the system as a result of the global pandemic—we
need to increase investment. The other thing we need to do is provide strong
leadership. I am very proud of the work that the Minister for Health is doing
as we continue to make sure that our health system has great resources and
great leadership and can continue to adapt and respond to the needs of the Western
Australian community.
we had yesterday, but I am happy to answer it again. As I said, the Western Australian
public expect to see their government investing in their health system to make
sure that it can withstand the shocks to the system that it receives from time
to time. That is why we have increased the health budget in excess of 33 per cent
since coming to office. The Mental Health Commission's budget has
increased by over 50 per cent since we came
to office. That is what the Western Australian public want to see: a government
that backs the health system and
continues to provide the resources it needs to meet the challenges that it
faces. Something has happened since I was in opposition. Apart from the
fact that we now have a decent government, we have had a global pandemic. Maybe
the member missed it. Maybe she was too busy trying to tear down Western Australia's border to really notice the impact of the
pandemic. The pandemic has basically created imbalance in all health systems right across the country, and that is why health systems everywhere in
Australia at the moment are struggling to cope with the change in patterns of
consumption by patients and people seeking care.
In
the last two years alone, we have increased the number of beds in our hospital
system by over 540. That is almost the equivalent of a whole new
tertiary hospital. That is what we need to do to make sure that we get on top
of these shocks to the system as a result of the global pandemic—we
need to increase investment. The other thing we need to do is provide strong
leadership. I am very proud of the work that the Minister for Health is doing
as we continue to make sure that our health system has great resources and
great leadership and can continue to adapt and respond to the needs of the Western
Australian community.
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