❓ Dr. Honey questions the Premier about staffing concerns related to the proposed Women's and Babies' Hospital relocation, citing a leaked document. The Premier assures that future population growth and service expansion will address these concerns.
AnsweredQoN 793Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WOMEN'S AND BABIES' HOSPITAL —
RELOCATION
793. Dr D.J. HONEY to the Premier:
I refer to the leaked Child and
Adolescent Health Service position paper regarding the location of the new
women's and babies' hospital, which according to my notes
states —
There is not the critical mass of
activity to maintain skills or replicate subspecialties over the two sites, nor
the specialist workforce.
(1) How exactly
does the government plan to deliver expanded services, including neonatal,
across three sites when we are unable to appropriately staff our current
facilities?
(2) What does the
Premier have to say to the clinicians who have stated that this undermines WA's
capacity to offer world-class training opportunities?
RELOCATION
793. Dr D.J. HONEY to the Premier:
I refer to the leaked Child and
Adolescent Health Service position paper regarding the location of the new
women's and babies' hospital, which according to my notes
states —
There is not the critical mass of
activity to maintain skills or replicate subspecialties over the two sites, nor
the specialist workforce.
(1) How exactly
does the government plan to deliver expanded services, including neonatal,
across three sites when we are unable to appropriately staff our current
facilities?
(2) What does the
Premier have to say to the clinicians who have stated that this undermines WA's
capacity to offer world-class training opportunities?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice
of the question. I thought he was going to ask me the previous question that
came from the member for Central Wheatbelt.
Ms M.J. Davies : I'm
the shadow.
Mr R.H. COOK : It was just in
an area in which he has particular expertise, member.
(1)–(2) As
much as we would all love to see this hospital built overnight, it will not be.
It is important that we plan and develop these facilities for a Perth of the
future. I do not doubt for a moment that we will see a significant expansion of
Western Australia's population and a significant expansion of the
services that surround that population over the time that this hospital is
developed. I do not think we are talking about a question of critical mass. We
are talking about understanding that we will need to see a significant expansion of our hospital services and our
clinical staff numbers. From that perspective, I think the member can
anticipate a point in the future when the scenario that he characterised would
not eventuate. We appreciate the input from everyone on the development of this
hospital. It has been forever thus. When developing Fiona Stanley Hospital or
undertaking the significant construction of Rockingham Hospital, clinicians
always had very strong views about the services and the way those services
should be delivered. That is as it should be. I appreciate that the member is
taking the views from that draft paper, but I am not sure that that will
necessarily be one of the key constraints at the time the hospital is
developed.
of the question. I thought he was going to ask me the previous question that
came from the member for Central Wheatbelt.
Ms M.J. Davies : I'm
the shadow.
Mr R.H. COOK : It was just in
an area in which he has particular expertise, member.
(1)–(2) As
much as we would all love to see this hospital built overnight, it will not be.
It is important that we plan and develop these facilities for a Perth of the
future. I do not doubt for a moment that we will see a significant expansion of
Western Australia's population and a significant expansion of the
services that surround that population over the time that this hospital is
developed. I do not think we are talking about a question of critical mass. We
are talking about understanding that we will need to see a significant expansion of our hospital services and our
clinical staff numbers. From that perspective, I think the member can
anticipate a point in the future when the scenario that he characterised would
not eventuate. We appreciate the input from everyone on the development of this
hospital. It has been forever thus. When developing Fiona Stanley Hospital or
undertaking the significant construction of Rockingham Hospital, clinicians
always had very strong views about the services and the way those services
should be delivered. That is as it should be. I appreciate that the member is
taking the views from that draft paper, but I am not sure that that will
necessarily be one of the key constraints at the time the hospital is
developed.
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