❓ A WA parliamentary question highlights the lack of dental services in Bencubbin Primary School and other regional areas due to dentist shortages, despite assurances of prioritisation. The Minister acknowledges the issue and outlines recruitment efforts.
AnsweredQoN 353Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
SCHOOL DENTAL SERVICE
I refer to the School Dental Service provided by the Department of Health to all schoolchildren from pre-primary to year 11 and year 12 in remote localities. (1) Is the minister aware that the dental van has not visited the Bencubbin Primary School since September 2003? (2) Is the minister aware that the Mukinbudin District High School and the Trayning Primary School are located only 40 kilometres away from the Bencubbin Primary School and receive annual dental visits from the van, which must travel through Bencubbin? (3) Are any other schools in regional Western Australia missing out on this valuable service, which is also used by local families and early retirees who are unable to travel? (4) Given that in a letter sent to the member’s Merredin electorate office dated 30 May 2005 the Minister for Health assured the National Party that the matter of dentist staffing in country areas was being addressed as a priority, yet a year later the Bencubbin Primary School continues to miss out on this service, what will the minister to do to ensure that Bencubbin and other areas receive regular visits from a dental van? Mr G. Snook interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member! I am sure that the member for Moore has an answer and is keen for people to hear it, but he is not the minister. I give the call to the minister. Mr J.A. McGINTY
I refer to the School Dental Service provided by the Department of Health to all schoolchildren from pre-primary to year 11 and year 12 in remote localities. (1) Is the minister aware that the dental van has not visited the Bencubbin Primary School since September 2003? (2) Is the minister aware that the Mukinbudin District High School and the Trayning Primary School are located only 40 kilometres away from the Bencubbin Primary School and receive annual dental visits from the van, which must travel through Bencubbin? (3) Are any other schools in regional Western Australia missing out on this valuable service, which is also used by local families and early retirees who are unable to travel? (4) Given that in a letter sent to the member’s Merredin electorate office dated 30 May 2005 the Minister for Health assured the National Party that the matter of dentist staffing in country areas was being addressed as a priority, yet a year later the Bencubbin Primary School continues to miss out on this service, what will the minister to do to ensure that Bencubbin and other areas receive regular visits from a dental van? Mr G. Snook interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member! I am sure that the member for Moore has an answer and is keen for people to hear it, but he is not the minister. I give the call to the minister. Mr J.A. McGINTY
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) I am advised by the department that the mobile dental van last visited Bencubbin at the school in September 2004, and that it usually visits twice in each three-year period. At present there is no dentist available for this service, and although the position has been advertised, there has been no interest or applications from dentists. That is the problem we are grappling with. (2) The mobile van that provides services to Trayning is a different van from the one that visits Bencubbin and Mukinbudin. The Trayning van also services other country towns in the eastern wheatbelt. If the Trayning van were to service Bencubbin, services to other towns would have to be curtailed. The services to all these towns are usually provided twice every three years, but on occasion may be provided annually. (3) Other schools miss out on services being provided regularly. There are vacant positions for dentists, which is resulting in the absence of a service, most particularly in the wheatbelt and the Kimberley regions of the state. (4) Dental Health Services continues to actively recruit dentists from within Australia and overseas. A recruitment and retention allowance was made available to improve the salaries of public dental officers in Western Australia. From memory it was about a 10 per cent allowance that I approved about a year and a half ago. The rural dentists scheme has broadened the number of overseas countries from which dentists can be recruited. Recruitment to country areas remains a priority. To compound this, there is also a national shortage of dentists. One of the issues that struck me a couple of years ago was the fact that there were so many vacant country dentist positions and nobody expressing interest in them. We went overseas to recruit, particularly to South Africa, and received applications from a number of people, particularly young couples, both of whom were dentists, whom we then deployed to country areas, including Albany, Bunbury and the Kimberley where I met the dentists concerned. However, it remains an ongoing problem.
(1) Is the minister aware that the dental van has not visited the Bencubbin Primary School since September 2003? (2) Is the minister aware that the Mukinbudin District High School and the Trayning Primary School are located only 40 kilometres away from the Bencubbin Primary School and receive annual dental visits from the van, which must travel through Bencubbin? (3) Are any other schools in regional Western Australia missing out on this valuable service, which is also used by local families and early retirees who are unable to travel? (4) Given that in a letter sent to the member’s Merredin electorate office dated 30 May 2005 the Minister for Health assured the National Party that the matter of dentist staffing in country areas was being addressed as a priority, yet a year later the Bencubbin Primary School continues to miss out on this service, what will the minister to do to ensure that Bencubbin and other areas receive regular visits from a dental van? Mr G. Snook interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member! I am sure that the member for Moore has an answer and is keen for people to hear it, but he is not the minister. I give the call to the minister. Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) I am advised by the department that the mobile dental van last visited Bencubbin at the school in September 2004, and that it usually visits twice in each three-year period. At present there is no dentist available for this service, and although the position has been advertised, there has been no interest or applications from dentists. That is the problem we are grappling with. (2) The mobile van that provides services to Trayning is a different van from the one that visits Bencubbin and Mukinbudin. The Trayning van also services other country towns in the eastern wheatbelt. If the Trayning van were to service Bencubbin, services to other towns would have to be curtailed. The services to all these towns are usually provided twice every three years, but on occasion may be provided annually. (3) Other schools miss out on services being provided regularly. There are vacant positions for dentists, which is resulting in the absence of a service, most particularly in the wheatbelt and the Kimberley regions of the state. (4) Dental Health Services continues to actively recruit dentists from within Australia and overseas. A recruitment and retention allowance was made available to improve the salaries of public dental officers in Western Australia. From memory it was about a 10 per cent allowance that I approved about a year and a half ago. The rural dentists scheme has broadened the number of overseas countries from which dentists can be recruited. Recruitment to country areas remains a priority. To compound this, there is also a national shortage of dentists. One of the issues that struck me a couple of years ago was the fact that there were so many vacant country dentist positions and nobody expressing interest in them. We went overseas to recruit, particularly to South Africa, and received applications from a number of people, particularly young couples, both of whom were dentists, whom we then deployed to country areas, including Albany, Bunbury and the Kimberley where I met the dentists concerned. However, it remains an ongoing problem.
(2) Is the minister aware that the Mukinbudin District High School and the Trayning Primary School are located only 40 kilometres away from the Bencubbin Primary School and receive annual dental visits from the van, which must travel through Bencubbin? (3) Are any other schools in regional Western Australia missing out on this valuable service, which is also used by local families and early retirees who are unable to travel? (4) Given that in a letter sent to the member’s Merredin electorate office dated 30 May 2005 the Minister for Health assured the National Party that the matter of dentist staffing in country areas was being addressed as a priority, yet a year later the Bencubbin Primary School continues to miss out on this service, what will the minister to do to ensure that Bencubbin and other areas receive regular visits from a dental van? Mr G. Snook interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member! I am sure that the member for Moore has an answer and is keen for people to hear it, but he is not the minister. I give the call to the minister. Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) I am advised by the department that the mobile dental van last visited Bencubbin at the school in September 2004, and that it usually visits twice in each three-year period. At present there is no dentist available for this service, and although the position has been advertised, there has been no interest or applications from dentists. That is the problem we are grappling with. (2) The mobile van that provides services to Trayning is a different van from the one that visits Bencubbin and Mukinbudin. The Trayning van also services other country towns in the eastern wheatbelt. If the Trayning van were to service Bencubbin, services to other towns would have to be curtailed. The services to all these towns are usually provided twice every three years, but on occasion may be provided annually. (3) Other schools miss out on services being provided regularly. There are vacant positions for dentists, which is resulting in the absence of a service, most particularly in the wheatbelt and the Kimberley regions of the state. (4) Dental Health Services continues to actively recruit dentists from within Australia and overseas. A recruitment and retention allowance was made available to improve the salaries of public dental officers in Western Australia. From memory it was about a 10 per cent allowance that I approved about a year and a half ago. The rural dentists scheme has broadened the number of overseas countries from which dentists can be recruited. Recruitment to country areas remains a priority. To compound this, there is also a national shortage of dentists. One of the issues that struck me a couple of years ago was the fact that there were so many vacant country dentist positions and nobody expressing interest in them. We went overseas to recruit, particularly to South Africa, and received applications from a number of people, particularly young couples, both of whom were dentists, whom we then deployed to country areas, including Albany, Bunbury and the Kimberley where I met the dentists concerned. However, it remains an ongoing problem.
(3) Are any other schools in regional Western Australia missing out on this valuable service, which is also used by local families and early retirees who are unable to travel? (4) Given that in a letter sent to the member’s Merredin electorate office dated 30 May 2005 the Minister for Health assured the National Party that the matter of dentist staffing in country areas was being addressed as a priority, yet a year later the Bencubbin Primary School continues to miss out on this service, what will the minister to do to ensure that Bencubbin and other areas receive regular visits from a dental van? Mr G. Snook interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member! I am sure that the member for Moore has an answer and is keen for people to hear it, but he is not the minister. I give the call to the minister. Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) I am advised by the department that the mobile dental van last visited Bencubbin at the school in September 2004, and that it usually visits twice in each three-year period. At present there is no dentist available for this service, and although the position has been advertised, there has been no interest or applications from dentists. That is the problem we are grappling with. (2) The mobile van that provides services to Trayning is a different van from the one that visits Bencubbin and Mukinbudin. The Trayning van also services other country towns in the eastern wheatbelt. If the Trayning van were to service Bencubbin, services to other towns would have to be curtailed. The services to all these towns are usually provided twice every three years, but on occasion may be provided annually. (3) Other schools miss out on services being provided regularly. There are vacant positions for dentists, which is resulting in the absence of a service, most particularly in the wheatbelt and the Kimberley regions of the state. (4) Dental Health Services continues to actively recruit dentists from within Australia and overseas. A recruitment and retention allowance was made available to improve the salaries of public dental officers in Western Australia. From memory it was about a 10 per cent allowance that I approved about a year and a half ago. The rural dentists scheme has broadened the number of overseas countries from which dentists can be recruited. Recruitment to country areas remains a priority. To compound this, there is also a national shortage of dentists. One of the issues that struck me a couple of years ago was the fact that there were so many vacant country dentist positions and nobody expressing interest in them. We went overseas to recruit, particularly to South Africa, and received applications from a number of people, particularly young couples, both of whom were dentists, whom we then deployed to country areas, including Albany, Bunbury and the Kimberley where I met the dentists concerned. However, it remains an ongoing problem.
(4) Given that in a letter sent to the member’s Merredin electorate office dated 30 May 2005 the Minister for Health assured the National Party that the matter of dentist staffing in country areas was being addressed as a priority, yet a year later the Bencubbin Primary School continues to miss out on this service, what will the minister to do to ensure that Bencubbin and other areas receive regular visits from a dental van? Mr G. Snook interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member! I am sure that the member for Moore has an answer and is keen for people to hear it, but he is not the minister. I give the call to the minister. Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) I am advised by the department that the mobile dental van last visited Bencubbin at the school in September 2004, and that it usually visits twice in each three-year period. At present there is no dentist available for this service, and although the position has been advertised, there has been no interest or applications from dentists. That is the problem we are grappling with. (2) The mobile van that provides services to Trayning is a different van from the one that visits Bencubbin and Mukinbudin. The Trayning van also services other country towns in the eastern wheatbelt. If the Trayning van were to service Bencubbin, services to other towns would have to be curtailed. The services to all these towns are usually provided twice every three years, but on occasion may be provided annually. (3) Other schools miss out on services being provided regularly. There are vacant positions for dentists, which is resulting in the absence of a service, most particularly in the wheatbelt and the Kimberley regions of the state. (4) Dental Health Services continues to actively recruit dentists from within Australia and overseas. A recruitment and retention allowance was made available to improve the salaries of public dental officers in Western Australia. From memory it was about a 10 per cent allowance that I approved about a year and a half ago. The rural dentists scheme has broadened the number of overseas countries from which dentists can be recruited. Recruitment to country areas remains a priority. To compound this, there is also a national shortage of dentists. One of the issues that struck me a couple of years ago was the fact that there were so many vacant country dentist positions and nobody expressing interest in them. We went overseas to recruit, particularly to South Africa, and received applications from a number of people, particularly young couples, both of whom were dentists, whom we then deployed to country areas, including Albany, Bunbury and the Kimberley where I met the dentists concerned. However, it remains an ongoing problem.
Mr G. Snook interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member! I am sure that the member for Moore has an answer and is keen for people to hear it, but he is not the minister. I give the call to the minister. Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) I am advised by the department that the mobile dental van last visited Bencubbin at the school in September 2004, and that it usually visits twice in each three-year period. At present there is no dentist available for this service, and although the position has been advertised, there has been no interest or applications from dentists. That is the problem we are grappling with. (2) The mobile van that provides services to Trayning is a different van from the one that visits Bencubbin and Mukinbudin. The Trayning van also services other country towns in the eastern wheatbelt. If the Trayning van were to service Bencubbin, services to other towns would have to be curtailed. The services to all these towns are usually provided twice every three years, but on occasion may be provided annually. (3) Other schools miss out on services being provided regularly. There are vacant positions for dentists, which is resulting in the absence of a service, most particularly in the wheatbelt and the Kimberley regions of the state. (4) Dental Health Services continues to actively recruit dentists from within Australia and overseas. A recruitment and retention allowance was made available to improve the salaries of public dental officers in Western Australia. From memory it was about a 10 per cent allowance that I approved about a year and a half ago. The rural dentists scheme has broadened the number of overseas countries from which dentists can be recruited. Recruitment to country areas remains a priority. To compound this, there is also a national shortage of dentists. One of the issues that struck me a couple of years ago was the fact that there were so many vacant country dentist positions and nobody expressing interest in them. We went overseas to recruit, particularly to South Africa, and received applications from a number of people, particularly young couples, both of whom were dentists, whom we then deployed to country areas, including Albany, Bunbury and the Kimberley where I met the dentists concerned. However, it remains an ongoing problem.
The SPEAKER : Order, member! I am sure that the member for Moore has an answer and is keen for people to hear it, but he is not the minister. I give the call to the minister. Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) I am advised by the department that the mobile dental van last visited Bencubbin at the school in September 2004, and that it usually visits twice in each three-year period. At present there is no dentist available for this service, and although the position has been advertised, there has been no interest or applications from dentists. That is the problem we are grappling with. (2) The mobile van that provides services to Trayning is a different van from the one that visits Bencubbin and Mukinbudin. The Trayning van also services other country towns in the eastern wheatbelt. If the Trayning van were to service Bencubbin, services to other towns would have to be curtailed. The services to all these towns are usually provided twice every three years, but on occasion may be provided annually. (3) Other schools miss out on services being provided regularly. There are vacant positions for dentists, which is resulting in the absence of a service, most particularly in the wheatbelt and the Kimberley regions of the state. (4) Dental Health Services continues to actively recruit dentists from within Australia and overseas. A recruitment and retention allowance was made available to improve the salaries of public dental officers in Western Australia. From memory it was about a 10 per cent allowance that I approved about a year and a half ago. The rural dentists scheme has broadened the number of overseas countries from which dentists can be recruited. Recruitment to country areas remains a priority. To compound this, there is also a national shortage of dentists. One of the issues that struck me a couple of years ago was the fact that there were so many vacant country dentist positions and nobody expressing interest in them. We went overseas to recruit, particularly to South Africa, and received applications from a number of people, particularly young couples, both of whom were dentists, whom we then deployed to country areas, including Albany, Bunbury and the Kimberley where I met the dentists concerned. However, it remains an ongoing problem.
Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) I am advised by the department that the mobile dental van last visited Bencubbin at the school in September 2004, and that it usually visits twice in each three-year period. At present there is no dentist available for this service, and although the position has been advertised, there has been no interest or applications from dentists. That is the problem we are grappling with. (2) The mobile van that provides services to Trayning is a different van from the one that visits Bencubbin and Mukinbudin. The Trayning van also services other country towns in the eastern wheatbelt. If the Trayning van were to service Bencubbin, services to other towns would have to be curtailed. The services to all these towns are usually provided twice every three years, but on occasion may be provided annually. (3) Other schools miss out on services being provided regularly. There are vacant positions for dentists, which is resulting in the absence of a service, most particularly in the wheatbelt and the Kimberley regions of the state. (4) Dental Health Services continues to actively recruit dentists from within Australia and overseas. A recruitment and retention allowance was made available to improve the salaries of public dental officers in Western Australia. From memory it was about a 10 per cent allowance that I approved about a year and a half ago. The rural dentists scheme has broadened the number of overseas countries from which dentists can be recruited. Recruitment to country areas remains a priority. To compound this, there is also a national shortage of dentists. One of the issues that struck me a couple of years ago was the fact that there were so many vacant country dentist positions and nobody expressing interest in them. We went overseas to recruit, particularly to South Africa, and received applications from a number of people, particularly young couples, both of whom were dentists, whom we then deployed to country areas, including Albany, Bunbury and the Kimberley where I met the dentists concerned. However, it remains an ongoing problem.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) I am advised by the department that the mobile dental van last visited Bencubbin at the school in September 2004, and that it usually visits twice in each three-year period. At present there is no dentist available for this service, and although the position has been advertised, there has been no interest or applications from dentists. That is the problem we are grappling with. (2) The mobile van that provides services to Trayning is a different van from the one that visits Bencubbin and Mukinbudin. The Trayning van also services other country towns in the eastern wheatbelt. If the Trayning van were to service Bencubbin, services to other towns would have to be curtailed. The services to all these towns are usually provided twice every three years, but on occasion may be provided annually. (3) Other schools miss out on services being provided regularly. There are vacant positions for dentists, which is resulting in the absence of a service, most particularly in the wheatbelt and the Kimberley regions of the state. (4) Dental Health Services continues to actively recruit dentists from within Australia and overseas. A recruitment and retention allowance was made available to improve the salaries of public dental officers in Western Australia. From memory it was about a 10 per cent allowance that I approved about a year and a half ago. The rural dentists scheme has broadened the number of overseas countries from which dentists can be recruited. Recruitment to country areas remains a priority. To compound this, there is also a national shortage of dentists. One of the issues that struck me a couple of years ago was the fact that there were so many vacant country dentist positions and nobody expressing interest in them. We went overseas to recruit, particularly to South Africa, and received applications from a number of people, particularly young couples, both of whom were dentists, whom we then deployed to country areas, including Albany, Bunbury and the Kimberley where I met the dentists concerned. However, it remains an ongoing problem.
(1) I am advised by the department that the mobile dental van last visited Bencubbin at the school in September 2004, and that it usually visits twice in each three-year period. At present there is no dentist available for this service, and although the position has been advertised, there has been no interest or applications from dentists. That is the problem we are grappling with. (2) The mobile van that provides services to Trayning is a different van from the one that visits Bencubbin and Mukinbudin. The Trayning van also services other country towns in the eastern wheatbelt. If the Trayning van were to service Bencubbin, services to other towns would have to be curtailed. The services to all these towns are usually provided twice every three years, but on occasion may be provided annually. (3) Other schools miss out on services being provided regularly. There are vacant positions for dentists, which is resulting in the absence of a service, most particularly in the wheatbelt and the Kimberley regions of the state. (4) Dental Health Services continues to actively recruit dentists from within Australia and overseas. A recruitment and retention allowance was made available to improve the salaries of public dental officers in Western Australia. From memory it was about a 10 per cent allowance that I approved about a year and a half ago. The rural dentists scheme has broadened the number of overseas countries from which dentists can be recruited. Recruitment to country areas remains a priority. To compound this, there is also a national shortage of dentists. One of the issues that struck me a couple of years ago was the fact that there were so many vacant country dentist positions and nobody expressing interest in them. We went overseas to recruit, particularly to South Africa, and received applications from a number of people, particularly young couples, both of whom were dentists, whom we then deployed to country areas, including Albany, Bunbury and the Kimberley where I met the dentists concerned. However, it remains an ongoing problem.
(2) The mobile van that provides services to Trayning is a different van from the one that visits Bencubbin and Mukinbudin. The Trayning van also services other country towns in the eastern wheatbelt. If the Trayning van were to service Bencubbin, services to other towns would have to be curtailed. The services to all these towns are usually provided twice every three years, but on occasion may be provided annually. (3) Other schools miss out on services being provided regularly. There are vacant positions for dentists, which is resulting in the absence of a service, most particularly in the wheatbelt and the Kimberley regions of the state. (4) Dental Health Services continues to actively recruit dentists from within Australia and overseas. A recruitment and retention allowance was made available to improve the salaries of public dental officers in Western Australia. From memory it was about a 10 per cent allowance that I approved about a year and a half ago. The rural dentists scheme has broadened the number of overseas countries from which dentists can be recruited. Recruitment to country areas remains a priority. To compound this, there is also a national shortage of dentists. One of the issues that struck me a couple of years ago was the fact that there were so many vacant country dentist positions and nobody expressing interest in them. We went overseas to recruit, particularly to South Africa, and received applications from a number of people, particularly young couples, both of whom were dentists, whom we then deployed to country areas, including Albany, Bunbury and the Kimberley where I met the dentists concerned. However, it remains an ongoing problem.
(3) Other schools miss out on services being provided regularly. There are vacant positions for dentists, which is resulting in the absence of a service, most particularly in the wheatbelt and the Kimberley regions of the state. (4) Dental Health Services continues to actively recruit dentists from within Australia and overseas. A recruitment and retention allowance was made available to improve the salaries of public dental officers in Western Australia. From memory it was about a 10 per cent allowance that I approved about a year and a half ago. The rural dentists scheme has broadened the number of overseas countries from which dentists can be recruited. Recruitment to country areas remains a priority. To compound this, there is also a national shortage of dentists. One of the issues that struck me a couple of years ago was the fact that there were so many vacant country dentist positions and nobody expressing interest in them. We went overseas to recruit, particularly to South Africa, and received applications from a number of people, particularly young couples, both of whom were dentists, whom we then deployed to country areas, including Albany, Bunbury and the Kimberley where I met the dentists concerned. However, it remains an ongoing problem.
(4) Dental Health Services continues to actively recruit dentists from within Australia and overseas. A recruitment and retention allowance was made available to improve the salaries of public dental officers in Western Australia. From memory it was about a 10 per cent allowance that I approved about a year and a half ago. The rural dentists scheme has broadened the number of overseas countries from which dentists can be recruited. Recruitment to country areas remains a priority. To compound this, there is also a national shortage of dentists. One of the issues that struck me a couple of years ago was the fact that there were so many vacant country dentist positions and nobody expressing interest in them. We went overseas to recruit, particularly to South Africa, and received applications from a number of people, particularly young couples, both of whom were dentists, whom we then deployed to country areas, including Albany, Bunbury and the Kimberley where I met the dentists concerned. However, it remains an ongoing problem.
(1) Is the minister aware that the dental van has not visited the Bencubbin Primary School since September 2003? (2) Is the minister aware that the Mukinbudin District High School and the Trayning Primary School are located only 40 kilometres away from the Bencubbin Primary School and receive annual dental visits from the van, which must travel through Bencubbin? (3) Are any other schools in regional Western Australia missing out on this valuable service, which is also used by local families and early retirees who are unable to travel? (4) Given that in a letter sent to the member’s Merredin electorate office dated 30 May 2005 the Minister for Health assured the National Party that the matter of dentist staffing in country areas was being addressed as a priority, yet a year later the Bencubbin Primary School continues to miss out on this service, what will the minister to do to ensure that Bencubbin and other areas receive regular visits from a dental van? Mr G. Snook interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member! I am sure that the member for Moore has an answer and is keen for people to hear it, but he is not the minister. I give the call to the minister. Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) I am advised by the department that the mobile dental van last visited Bencubbin at the school in September 2004, and that it usually visits twice in each three-year period. At present there is no dentist available for this service, and although the position has been advertised, there has been no interest or applications from dentists. That is the problem we are grappling with. (2) The mobile van that provides services to Trayning is a different van from the one that visits Bencubbin and Mukinbudin. The Trayning van also services other country towns in the eastern wheatbelt. If the Trayning van were to service Bencubbin, services to other towns would have to be curtailed. The services to all these towns are usually provided twice every three years, but on occasion may be provided annually. (3) Other schools miss out on services being provided regularly. There are vacant positions for dentists, which is resulting in the absence of a service, most particularly in the wheatbelt and the Kimberley regions of the state. (4) Dental Health Services continues to actively recruit dentists from within Australia and overseas. A recruitment and retention allowance was made available to improve the salaries of public dental officers in Western Australia. From memory it was about a 10 per cent allowance that I approved about a year and a half ago. The rural dentists scheme has broadened the number of overseas countries from which dentists can be recruited. Recruitment to country areas remains a priority. To compound this, there is also a national shortage of dentists. One of the issues that struck me a couple of years ago was the fact that there were so many vacant country dentist positions and nobody expressing interest in them. We went overseas to recruit, particularly to South Africa, and received applications from a number of people, particularly young couples, both of whom were dentists, whom we then deployed to country areas, including Albany, Bunbury and the Kimberley where I met the dentists concerned. However, it remains an ongoing problem.
(2) Is the minister aware that the Mukinbudin District High School and the Trayning Primary School are located only 40 kilometres away from the Bencubbin Primary School and receive annual dental visits from the van, which must travel through Bencubbin? (3) Are any other schools in regional Western Australia missing out on this valuable service, which is also used by local families and early retirees who are unable to travel? (4) Given that in a letter sent to the member’s Merredin electorate office dated 30 May 2005 the Minister for Health assured the National Party that the matter of dentist staffing in country areas was being addressed as a priority, yet a year later the Bencubbin Primary School continues to miss out on this service, what will the minister to do to ensure that Bencubbin and other areas receive regular visits from a dental van? Mr G. Snook interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member! I am sure that the member for Moore has an answer and is keen for people to hear it, but he is not the minister. I give the call to the minister. Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) I am advised by the department that the mobile dental van last visited Bencubbin at the school in September 2004, and that it usually visits twice in each three-year period. At present there is no dentist available for this service, and although the position has been advertised, there has been no interest or applications from dentists. That is the problem we are grappling with. (2) The mobile van that provides services to Trayning is a different van from the one that visits Bencubbin and Mukinbudin. The Trayning van also services other country towns in the eastern wheatbelt. If the Trayning van were to service Bencubbin, services to other towns would have to be curtailed. The services to all these towns are usually provided twice every three years, but on occasion may be provided annually. (3) Other schools miss out on services being provided regularly. There are vacant positions for dentists, which is resulting in the absence of a service, most particularly in the wheatbelt and the Kimberley regions of the state. (4) Dental Health Services continues to actively recruit dentists from within Australia and overseas. A recruitment and retention allowance was made available to improve the salaries of public dental officers in Western Australia. From memory it was about a 10 per cent allowance that I approved about a year and a half ago. The rural dentists scheme has broadened the number of overseas countries from which dentists can be recruited. Recruitment to country areas remains a priority. To compound this, there is also a national shortage of dentists. One of the issues that struck me a couple of years ago was the fact that there were so many vacant country dentist positions and nobody expressing interest in them. We went overseas to recruit, particularly to South Africa, and received applications from a number of people, particularly young couples, both of whom were dentists, whom we then deployed to country areas, including Albany, Bunbury and the Kimberley where I met the dentists concerned. However, it remains an ongoing problem.
(3) Are any other schools in regional Western Australia missing out on this valuable service, which is also used by local families and early retirees who are unable to travel? (4) Given that in a letter sent to the member’s Merredin electorate office dated 30 May 2005 the Minister for Health assured the National Party that the matter of dentist staffing in country areas was being addressed as a priority, yet a year later the Bencubbin Primary School continues to miss out on this service, what will the minister to do to ensure that Bencubbin and other areas receive regular visits from a dental van? Mr G. Snook interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member! I am sure that the member for Moore has an answer and is keen for people to hear it, but he is not the minister. I give the call to the minister. Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) I am advised by the department that the mobile dental van last visited Bencubbin at the school in September 2004, and that it usually visits twice in each three-year period. At present there is no dentist available for this service, and although the position has been advertised, there has been no interest or applications from dentists. That is the problem we are grappling with. (2) The mobile van that provides services to Trayning is a different van from the one that visits Bencubbin and Mukinbudin. The Trayning van also services other country towns in the eastern wheatbelt. If the Trayning van were to service Bencubbin, services to other towns would have to be curtailed. The services to all these towns are usually provided twice every three years, but on occasion may be provided annually. (3) Other schools miss out on services being provided regularly. There are vacant positions for dentists, which is resulting in the absence of a service, most particularly in the wheatbelt and the Kimberley regions of the state. (4) Dental Health Services continues to actively recruit dentists from within Australia and overseas. A recruitment and retention allowance was made available to improve the salaries of public dental officers in Western Australia. From memory it was about a 10 per cent allowance that I approved about a year and a half ago. The rural dentists scheme has broadened the number of overseas countries from which dentists can be recruited. Recruitment to country areas remains a priority. To compound this, there is also a national shortage of dentists. One of the issues that struck me a couple of years ago was the fact that there were so many vacant country dentist positions and nobody expressing interest in them. We went overseas to recruit, particularly to South Africa, and received applications from a number of people, particularly young couples, both of whom were dentists, whom we then deployed to country areas, including Albany, Bunbury and the Kimberley where I met the dentists concerned. However, it remains an ongoing problem.
(4) Given that in a letter sent to the member’s Merredin electorate office dated 30 May 2005 the Minister for Health assured the National Party that the matter of dentist staffing in country areas was being addressed as a priority, yet a year later the Bencubbin Primary School continues to miss out on this service, what will the minister to do to ensure that Bencubbin and other areas receive regular visits from a dental van? Mr G. Snook interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member! I am sure that the member for Moore has an answer and is keen for people to hear it, but he is not the minister. I give the call to the minister. Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) I am advised by the department that the mobile dental van last visited Bencubbin at the school in September 2004, and that it usually visits twice in each three-year period. At present there is no dentist available for this service, and although the position has been advertised, there has been no interest or applications from dentists. That is the problem we are grappling with. (2) The mobile van that provides services to Trayning is a different van from the one that visits Bencubbin and Mukinbudin. The Trayning van also services other country towns in the eastern wheatbelt. If the Trayning van were to service Bencubbin, services to other towns would have to be curtailed. The services to all these towns are usually provided twice every three years, but on occasion may be provided annually. (3) Other schools miss out on services being provided regularly. There are vacant positions for dentists, which is resulting in the absence of a service, most particularly in the wheatbelt and the Kimberley regions of the state. (4) Dental Health Services continues to actively recruit dentists from within Australia and overseas. A recruitment and retention allowance was made available to improve the salaries of public dental officers in Western Australia. From memory it was about a 10 per cent allowance that I approved about a year and a half ago. The rural dentists scheme has broadened the number of overseas countries from which dentists can be recruited. Recruitment to country areas remains a priority. To compound this, there is also a national shortage of dentists. One of the issues that struck me a couple of years ago was the fact that there were so many vacant country dentist positions and nobody expressing interest in them. We went overseas to recruit, particularly to South Africa, and received applications from a number of people, particularly young couples, both of whom were dentists, whom we then deployed to country areas, including Albany, Bunbury and the Kimberley where I met the dentists concerned. However, it remains an ongoing problem.
Mr G. Snook interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member! I am sure that the member for Moore has an answer and is keen for people to hear it, but he is not the minister. I give the call to the minister. Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) I am advised by the department that the mobile dental van last visited Bencubbin at the school in September 2004, and that it usually visits twice in each three-year period. At present there is no dentist available for this service, and although the position has been advertised, there has been no interest or applications from dentists. That is the problem we are grappling with. (2) The mobile van that provides services to Trayning is a different van from the one that visits Bencubbin and Mukinbudin. The Trayning van also services other country towns in the eastern wheatbelt. If the Trayning van were to service Bencubbin, services to other towns would have to be curtailed. The services to all these towns are usually provided twice every three years, but on occasion may be provided annually. (3) Other schools miss out on services being provided regularly. There are vacant positions for dentists, which is resulting in the absence of a service, most particularly in the wheatbelt and the Kimberley regions of the state. (4) Dental Health Services continues to actively recruit dentists from within Australia and overseas. A recruitment and retention allowance was made available to improve the salaries of public dental officers in Western Australia. From memory it was about a 10 per cent allowance that I approved about a year and a half ago. The rural dentists scheme has broadened the number of overseas countries from which dentists can be recruited. Recruitment to country areas remains a priority. To compound this, there is also a national shortage of dentists. One of the issues that struck me a couple of years ago was the fact that there were so many vacant country dentist positions and nobody expressing interest in them. We went overseas to recruit, particularly to South Africa, and received applications from a number of people, particularly young couples, both of whom were dentists, whom we then deployed to country areas, including Albany, Bunbury and the Kimberley where I met the dentists concerned. However, it remains an ongoing problem.
The SPEAKER : Order, member! I am sure that the member for Moore has an answer and is keen for people to hear it, but he is not the minister. I give the call to the minister. Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) I am advised by the department that the mobile dental van last visited Bencubbin at the school in September 2004, and that it usually visits twice in each three-year period. At present there is no dentist available for this service, and although the position has been advertised, there has been no interest or applications from dentists. That is the problem we are grappling with. (2) The mobile van that provides services to Trayning is a different van from the one that visits Bencubbin and Mukinbudin. The Trayning van also services other country towns in the eastern wheatbelt. If the Trayning van were to service Bencubbin, services to other towns would have to be curtailed. The services to all these towns are usually provided twice every three years, but on occasion may be provided annually. (3) Other schools miss out on services being provided regularly. There are vacant positions for dentists, which is resulting in the absence of a service, most particularly in the wheatbelt and the Kimberley regions of the state. (4) Dental Health Services continues to actively recruit dentists from within Australia and overseas. A recruitment and retention allowance was made available to improve the salaries of public dental officers in Western Australia. From memory it was about a 10 per cent allowance that I approved about a year and a half ago. The rural dentists scheme has broadened the number of overseas countries from which dentists can be recruited. Recruitment to country areas remains a priority. To compound this, there is also a national shortage of dentists. One of the issues that struck me a couple of years ago was the fact that there were so many vacant country dentist positions and nobody expressing interest in them. We went overseas to recruit, particularly to South Africa, and received applications from a number of people, particularly young couples, both of whom were dentists, whom we then deployed to country areas, including Albany, Bunbury and the Kimberley where I met the dentists concerned. However, it remains an ongoing problem.
Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) I am advised by the department that the mobile dental van last visited Bencubbin at the school in September 2004, and that it usually visits twice in each three-year period. At present there is no dentist available for this service, and although the position has been advertised, there has been no interest or applications from dentists. That is the problem we are grappling with. (2) The mobile van that provides services to Trayning is a different van from the one that visits Bencubbin and Mukinbudin. The Trayning van also services other country towns in the eastern wheatbelt. If the Trayning van were to service Bencubbin, services to other towns would have to be curtailed. The services to all these towns are usually provided twice every three years, but on occasion may be provided annually. (3) Other schools miss out on services being provided regularly. There are vacant positions for dentists, which is resulting in the absence of a service, most particularly in the wheatbelt and the Kimberley regions of the state. (4) Dental Health Services continues to actively recruit dentists from within Australia and overseas. A recruitment and retention allowance was made available to improve the salaries of public dental officers in Western Australia. From memory it was about a 10 per cent allowance that I approved about a year and a half ago. The rural dentists scheme has broadened the number of overseas countries from which dentists can be recruited. Recruitment to country areas remains a priority. To compound this, there is also a national shortage of dentists. One of the issues that struck me a couple of years ago was the fact that there were so many vacant country dentist positions and nobody expressing interest in them. We went overseas to recruit, particularly to South Africa, and received applications from a number of people, particularly young couples, both of whom were dentists, whom we then deployed to country areas, including Albany, Bunbury and the Kimberley where I met the dentists concerned. However, it remains an ongoing problem.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) I am advised by the department that the mobile dental van last visited Bencubbin at the school in September 2004, and that it usually visits twice in each three-year period. At present there is no dentist available for this service, and although the position has been advertised, there has been no interest or applications from dentists. That is the problem we are grappling with. (2) The mobile van that provides services to Trayning is a different van from the one that visits Bencubbin and Mukinbudin. The Trayning van also services other country towns in the eastern wheatbelt. If the Trayning van were to service Bencubbin, services to other towns would have to be curtailed. The services to all these towns are usually provided twice every three years, but on occasion may be provided annually. (3) Other schools miss out on services being provided regularly. There are vacant positions for dentists, which is resulting in the absence of a service, most particularly in the wheatbelt and the Kimberley regions of the state. (4) Dental Health Services continues to actively recruit dentists from within Australia and overseas. A recruitment and retention allowance was made available to improve the salaries of public dental officers in Western Australia. From memory it was about a 10 per cent allowance that I approved about a year and a half ago. The rural dentists scheme has broadened the number of overseas countries from which dentists can be recruited. Recruitment to country areas remains a priority. To compound this, there is also a national shortage of dentists. One of the issues that struck me a couple of years ago was the fact that there were so many vacant country dentist positions and nobody expressing interest in them. We went overseas to recruit, particularly to South Africa, and received applications from a number of people, particularly young couples, both of whom were dentists, whom we then deployed to country areas, including Albany, Bunbury and the Kimberley where I met the dentists concerned. However, it remains an ongoing problem.
(1) I am advised by the department that the mobile dental van last visited Bencubbin at the school in September 2004, and that it usually visits twice in each three-year period. At present there is no dentist available for this service, and although the position has been advertised, there has been no interest or applications from dentists. That is the problem we are grappling with. (2) The mobile van that provides services to Trayning is a different van from the one that visits Bencubbin and Mukinbudin. The Trayning van also services other country towns in the eastern wheatbelt. If the Trayning van were to service Bencubbin, services to other towns would have to be curtailed. The services to all these towns are usually provided twice every three years, but on occasion may be provided annually. (3) Other schools miss out on services being provided regularly. There are vacant positions for dentists, which is resulting in the absence of a service, most particularly in the wheatbelt and the Kimberley regions of the state. (4) Dental Health Services continues to actively recruit dentists from within Australia and overseas. A recruitment and retention allowance was made available to improve the salaries of public dental officers in Western Australia. From memory it was about a 10 per cent allowance that I approved about a year and a half ago. The rural dentists scheme has broadened the number of overseas countries from which dentists can be recruited. Recruitment to country areas remains a priority. To compound this, there is also a national shortage of dentists. One of the issues that struck me a couple of years ago was the fact that there were so many vacant country dentist positions and nobody expressing interest in them. We went overseas to recruit, particularly to South Africa, and received applications from a number of people, particularly young couples, both of whom were dentists, whom we then deployed to country areas, including Albany, Bunbury and the Kimberley where I met the dentists concerned. However, it remains an ongoing problem.
(2) The mobile van that provides services to Trayning is a different van from the one that visits Bencubbin and Mukinbudin. The Trayning van also services other country towns in the eastern wheatbelt. If the Trayning van were to service Bencubbin, services to other towns would have to be curtailed. The services to all these towns are usually provided twice every three years, but on occasion may be provided annually. (3) Other schools miss out on services being provided regularly. There are vacant positions for dentists, which is resulting in the absence of a service, most particularly in the wheatbelt and the Kimberley regions of the state. (4) Dental Health Services continues to actively recruit dentists from within Australia and overseas. A recruitment and retention allowance was made available to improve the salaries of public dental officers in Western Australia. From memory it was about a 10 per cent allowance that I approved about a year and a half ago. The rural dentists scheme has broadened the number of overseas countries from which dentists can be recruited. Recruitment to country areas remains a priority. To compound this, there is also a national shortage of dentists. One of the issues that struck me a couple of years ago was the fact that there were so many vacant country dentist positions and nobody expressing interest in them. We went overseas to recruit, particularly to South Africa, and received applications from a number of people, particularly young couples, both of whom were dentists, whom we then deployed to country areas, including Albany, Bunbury and the Kimberley where I met the dentists concerned. However, it remains an ongoing problem.
(3) Other schools miss out on services being provided regularly. There are vacant positions for dentists, which is resulting in the absence of a service, most particularly in the wheatbelt and the Kimberley regions of the state. (4) Dental Health Services continues to actively recruit dentists from within Australia and overseas. A recruitment and retention allowance was made available to improve the salaries of public dental officers in Western Australia. From memory it was about a 10 per cent allowance that I approved about a year and a half ago. The rural dentists scheme has broadened the number of overseas countries from which dentists can be recruited. Recruitment to country areas remains a priority. To compound this, there is also a national shortage of dentists. One of the issues that struck me a couple of years ago was the fact that there were so many vacant country dentist positions and nobody expressing interest in them. We went overseas to recruit, particularly to South Africa, and received applications from a number of people, particularly young couples, both of whom were dentists, whom we then deployed to country areas, including Albany, Bunbury and the Kimberley where I met the dentists concerned. However, it remains an ongoing problem.
(4) Dental Health Services continues to actively recruit dentists from within Australia and overseas. A recruitment and retention allowance was made available to improve the salaries of public dental officers in Western Australia. From memory it was about a 10 per cent allowance that I approved about a year and a half ago. The rural dentists scheme has broadened the number of overseas countries from which dentists can be recruited. Recruitment to country areas remains a priority. To compound this, there is also a national shortage of dentists. One of the issues that struck me a couple of years ago was the fact that there were so many vacant country dentist positions and nobody expressing interest in them. We went overseas to recruit, particularly to South Africa, and received applications from a number of people, particularly young couples, both of whom were dentists, whom we then deployed to country areas, including Albany, Bunbury and the Kimberley where I met the dentists concerned. However, it remains an ongoing problem.
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