❓ Mr. L'Estrange questions the Minister for Health about a $220 million shortfall in public hospital funding despite increased Commonwealth funding, alleging cuts to services. The Minister denies cuts, citing increased efficiency and different calculation methods by the federal government.
AnsweredQoN 918Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PUBLIC HOSPITALS — ACTIVITY-BASED FUNDING
918. Mr S.K. L'ESTRANGE to the Minister for Health:
I have a supplementary question. The actual report shows that
the commonwealth has increased its activity-based funding to the state. It
increased it in 2018, but due to the minister's cuts it is now $220 million
less than in 2017. The commonwealth funding has gone up, the state's
has gone down and we are now $220 million short. Which services in public
hospitals are being cut?
The SPEAKER : Members, can I say one thing: I have said
it before, supplementary questions are —
Dr M.D. Nahan : Oh yes!
Suspension
of Member
The SPEAKER : Leader of
the Opposition, I call you to order for the fourth time.
As the member has been called to order more than three times,
I now suspend the member from the service of the house until the adjournment of
today's sitting.
[The member for Riverton left the chamber.]
Questions
without Notice Resumed
The SPEAKER : Member, I was saying about the
supplementary, it has got to be to the point and part of the question; it
cannot be a new question.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Be very careful; be very careful.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members on my right!
918. Mr S.K. L'ESTRANGE to the Minister for Health:
I have a supplementary question. The actual report shows that
the commonwealth has increased its activity-based funding to the state. It
increased it in 2018, but due to the minister's cuts it is now $220 million
less than in 2017. The commonwealth funding has gone up, the state's
has gone down and we are now $220 million short. Which services in public
hospitals are being cut?
The SPEAKER : Members, can I say one thing: I have said
it before, supplementary questions are —
Dr M.D. Nahan : Oh yes!
Suspension
of Member
The SPEAKER : Leader of
the Opposition, I call you to order for the fourth time.
As the member has been called to order more than three times,
I now suspend the member from the service of the house until the adjournment of
today's sitting.
[The member for Riverton left the chamber.]
Questions
without Notice Resumed
The SPEAKER : Member, I was saying about the
supplementary, it has got to be to the point and part of the question; it
cannot be a new question.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Be very careful; be very careful.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members on my right!
AnswerView source ↗
On the supplementary, the activity that is reported in the
central pool funders is essentially based upon the calculation of that
activity. It does not report all activity, so the member should not rely upon
that to get an understanding about the actual activity that takes place in Western
Australia. It is based on a range of factors, including what the federal
government considers the activity it should be funding. I am happy to provide
the member with a briefing on it because I find the way the federal government
calculates these things confusing, but I can assure the member that we are
doing as much activity as we ever have; in fact, more so. We are continuing to
do that at a lower cost to the taxpayers of the state because we have a health
system that is becoming more efficient and more effective, and we are putting
patients first.
central pool funders is essentially based upon the calculation of that
activity. It does not report all activity, so the member should not rely upon
that to get an understanding about the actual activity that takes place in Western
Australia. It is based on a range of factors, including what the federal
government considers the activity it should be funding. I am happy to provide
the member with a briefing on it because I find the way the federal government
calculates these things confusing, but I can assure the member that we are
doing as much activity as we ever have; in fact, more so. We are continuing to
do that at a lower cost to the taxpayers of the state because we have a health
system that is becoming more efficient and more effective, and we are putting
patients first.
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