❓ A parliamentary question regarding a shortage of specialist surgeons at Bunbury Regional Hospital and a specific case of alleged negligence. The Minister responds by deflecting blame to the previous government and highlighting the recruitment of a new surgeon.
AnsweredQoN 1016Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the chronic shortage of specialist surgeons in the Bunbury Regional Hospital and also to the minister’s refusal to carry out or authorise a comprehensive independent review. I specifically refer to the recent case of a very young boy who presented at the emergency section of the Bunbury Regional Hospital with pain in his testes. He was admitted overnight and the next morning told to go home. It turned out that his testicle was twisted and had become gangrenous. It was removed in an operation in Perth. (1) Is the minister aware that five highly qualified and very experienced specialist surgeons are practising in Bunbury, but that the Department of Health will not allow two of them to practise at the regional hospital or participate in the emergency surgery roster? (2) How many individual cases must I raise in this Parliament before the minister undertakes an independent and comprehensive review of the emergency department of the Bunbury Regional Hospital? We want some action now. Mr J.A. McGINTY
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(2) As the member would be aware, the arrangement that was put into place when the member for Darling Range was the Minister for Health was very ad hoc. Several members interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I am telling the House what the last Government put in place and what we have changed. When members opposite were in government, there was an ad hoc arrangement about the preferred surgeon among those in town to be rung. It was not even a proper roster but a preferred arrangement of who might be able to be rung. There was not the sort of coverage that was desired. We have recruited a fourth surgeon to ensure proper coverage for the people of the Bunbury region in particular and the south west region more generally. That will enable us to provide 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week coverage for people who require surgery at the hospital. This has not been done in the past. It is an initiative that we have set in place to meet the quite proper and growing demands of the people in the Bunbury region. I would have thought that the member would congratulate us for that.
(1) Is the minister aware that five highly qualified and very experienced specialist surgeons are practising in Bunbury, but that the Department of Health will not allow two of them to practise at the regional hospital or participate in the emergency surgery roster? (2) How many individual cases must I raise in this Parliament before the minister undertakes an independent and comprehensive review of the emergency department of the Bunbury Regional Hospital? We want some action now. Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) As the member would be aware, the arrangement that was put into place when the member for Darling Range was the Minister for Health was very ad hoc. Several members interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I am telling the House what the last Government put in place and what we have changed. When members opposite were in government, there was an ad hoc arrangement about the preferred surgeon among those in town to be rung. It was not even a proper roster but a preferred arrangement of who might be able to be rung. There was not the sort of coverage that was desired. We have recruited a fourth surgeon to ensure proper coverage for the people of the Bunbury region in particular and the south west region more generally. That will enable us to provide 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week coverage for people who require surgery at the hospital. This has not been done in the past. It is an initiative that we have set in place to meet the quite proper and growing demands of the people in the Bunbury region. I would have thought that the member would congratulate us for that.
(2) How many individual cases must I raise in this Parliament before the minister undertakes an independent and comprehensive review of the emergency department of the Bunbury Regional Hospital? We want some action now. Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) As the member would be aware, the arrangement that was put into place when the member for Darling Range was the Minister for Health was very ad hoc. Several members interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I am telling the House what the last Government put in place and what we have changed. When members opposite were in government, there was an ad hoc arrangement about the preferred surgeon among those in town to be rung. It was not even a proper roster but a preferred arrangement of who might be able to be rung. There was not the sort of coverage that was desired. We have recruited a fourth surgeon to ensure proper coverage for the people of the Bunbury region in particular and the south west region more generally. That will enable us to provide 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week coverage for people who require surgery at the hospital. This has not been done in the past. It is an initiative that we have set in place to meet the quite proper and growing demands of the people in the Bunbury region. I would have thought that the member would congratulate us for that.
We want some action now. Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) As the member would be aware, the arrangement that was put into place when the member for Darling Range was the Minister for Health was very ad hoc. Several members interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I am telling the House what the last Government put in place and what we have changed. When members opposite were in government, there was an ad hoc arrangement about the preferred surgeon among those in town to be rung. It was not even a proper roster but a preferred arrangement of who might be able to be rung. There was not the sort of coverage that was desired. We have recruited a fourth surgeon to ensure proper coverage for the people of the Bunbury region in particular and the south west region more generally. That will enable us to provide 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week coverage for people who require surgery at the hospital. This has not been done in the past. It is an initiative that we have set in place to meet the quite proper and growing demands of the people in the Bunbury region. I would have thought that the member would congratulate us for that.
Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) As the member would be aware, the arrangement that was put into place when the member for Darling Range was the Minister for Health was very ad hoc. Several members interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I am telling the House what the last Government put in place and what we have changed. When members opposite were in government, there was an ad hoc arrangement about the preferred surgeon among those in town to be rung. It was not even a proper roster but a preferred arrangement of who might be able to be rung. There was not the sort of coverage that was desired. We have recruited a fourth surgeon to ensure proper coverage for the people of the Bunbury region in particular and the south west region more generally. That will enable us to provide 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week coverage for people who require surgery at the hospital. This has not been done in the past. It is an initiative that we have set in place to meet the quite proper and growing demands of the people in the Bunbury region. I would have thought that the member would congratulate us for that.
(1)-(2) As the member would be aware, the arrangement that was put into place when the member for Darling Range was the Minister for Health was very ad hoc. Several members interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I am telling the House what the last Government put in place and what we have changed. When members opposite were in government, there was an ad hoc arrangement about the preferred surgeon among those in town to be rung. It was not even a proper roster but a preferred arrangement of who might be able to be rung. There was not the sort of coverage that was desired. We have recruited a fourth surgeon to ensure proper coverage for the people of the Bunbury region in particular and the south west region more generally. That will enable us to provide 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week coverage for people who require surgery at the hospital. This has not been done in the past. It is an initiative that we have set in place to meet the quite proper and growing demands of the people in the Bunbury region. I would have thought that the member would congratulate us for that.
Several members interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I am telling the House what the last Government put in place and what we have changed. When members opposite were in government, there was an ad hoc arrangement about the preferred surgeon among those in town to be rung. It was not even a proper roster but a preferred arrangement of who might be able to be rung. There was not the sort of coverage that was desired. We have recruited a fourth surgeon to ensure proper coverage for the people of the Bunbury region in particular and the south west region more generally. That will enable us to provide 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week coverage for people who require surgery at the hospital. This has not been done in the past. It is an initiative that we have set in place to meet the quite proper and growing demands of the people in the Bunbury region. I would have thought that the member would congratulate us for that.
Mr J.A. McGINTY: I am telling the House what the last Government put in place and what we have changed. When members opposite were in government, there was an ad hoc arrangement about the preferred surgeon among those in town to be rung. It was not even a proper roster but a preferred arrangement of who might be able to be rung. There was not the sort of coverage that was desired. We have recruited a fourth surgeon to ensure proper coverage for the people of the Bunbury region in particular and the south west region more generally. That will enable us to provide 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week coverage for people who require surgery at the hospital. This has not been done in the past. It is an initiative that we have set in place to meet the quite proper and growing demands of the people in the Bunbury region. I would have thought that the member would congratulate us for that.
(1) Is the minister aware that five highly qualified and very experienced specialist surgeons are practising in Bunbury, but that the Department of Health will not allow two of them to practise at the regional hospital or participate in the emergency surgery roster? (2) How many individual cases must I raise in this Parliament before the minister undertakes an independent and comprehensive review of the emergency department of the Bunbury Regional Hospital? We want some action now. Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) As the member would be aware, the arrangement that was put into place when the member for Darling Range was the Minister for Health was very ad hoc. Several members interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I am telling the House what the last Government put in place and what we have changed. When members opposite were in government, there was an ad hoc arrangement about the preferred surgeon among those in town to be rung. It was not even a proper roster but a preferred arrangement of who might be able to be rung. There was not the sort of coverage that was desired. We have recruited a fourth surgeon to ensure proper coverage for the people of the Bunbury region in particular and the south west region more generally. That will enable us to provide 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week coverage for people who require surgery at the hospital. This has not been done in the past. It is an initiative that we have set in place to meet the quite proper and growing demands of the people in the Bunbury region. I would have thought that the member would congratulate us for that.
(2) How many individual cases must I raise in this Parliament before the minister undertakes an independent and comprehensive review of the emergency department of the Bunbury Regional Hospital? We want some action now. Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) As the member would be aware, the arrangement that was put into place when the member for Darling Range was the Minister for Health was very ad hoc. Several members interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I am telling the House what the last Government put in place and what we have changed. When members opposite were in government, there was an ad hoc arrangement about the preferred surgeon among those in town to be rung. It was not even a proper roster but a preferred arrangement of who might be able to be rung. There was not the sort of coverage that was desired. We have recruited a fourth surgeon to ensure proper coverage for the people of the Bunbury region in particular and the south west region more generally. That will enable us to provide 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week coverage for people who require surgery at the hospital. This has not been done in the past. It is an initiative that we have set in place to meet the quite proper and growing demands of the people in the Bunbury region. I would have thought that the member would congratulate us for that.
We want some action now. Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) As the member would be aware, the arrangement that was put into place when the member for Darling Range was the Minister for Health was very ad hoc. Several members interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I am telling the House what the last Government put in place and what we have changed. When members opposite were in government, there was an ad hoc arrangement about the preferred surgeon among those in town to be rung. It was not even a proper roster but a preferred arrangement of who might be able to be rung. There was not the sort of coverage that was desired. We have recruited a fourth surgeon to ensure proper coverage for the people of the Bunbury region in particular and the south west region more generally. That will enable us to provide 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week coverage for people who require surgery at the hospital. This has not been done in the past. It is an initiative that we have set in place to meet the quite proper and growing demands of the people in the Bunbury region. I would have thought that the member would congratulate us for that.
Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) As the member would be aware, the arrangement that was put into place when the member for Darling Range was the Minister for Health was very ad hoc. Several members interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I am telling the House what the last Government put in place and what we have changed. When members opposite were in government, there was an ad hoc arrangement about the preferred surgeon among those in town to be rung. It was not even a proper roster but a preferred arrangement of who might be able to be rung. There was not the sort of coverage that was desired. We have recruited a fourth surgeon to ensure proper coverage for the people of the Bunbury region in particular and the south west region more generally. That will enable us to provide 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week coverage for people who require surgery at the hospital. This has not been done in the past. It is an initiative that we have set in place to meet the quite proper and growing demands of the people in the Bunbury region. I would have thought that the member would congratulate us for that.
(1)-(2) As the member would be aware, the arrangement that was put into place when the member for Darling Range was the Minister for Health was very ad hoc. Several members interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I am telling the House what the last Government put in place and what we have changed. When members opposite were in government, there was an ad hoc arrangement about the preferred surgeon among those in town to be rung. It was not even a proper roster but a preferred arrangement of who might be able to be rung. There was not the sort of coverage that was desired. We have recruited a fourth surgeon to ensure proper coverage for the people of the Bunbury region in particular and the south west region more generally. That will enable us to provide 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week coverage for people who require surgery at the hospital. This has not been done in the past. It is an initiative that we have set in place to meet the quite proper and growing demands of the people in the Bunbury region. I would have thought that the member would congratulate us for that.
Several members interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY: I am telling the House what the last Government put in place and what we have changed. When members opposite were in government, there was an ad hoc arrangement about the preferred surgeon among those in town to be rung. It was not even a proper roster but a preferred arrangement of who might be able to be rung. There was not the sort of coverage that was desired. We have recruited a fourth surgeon to ensure proper coverage for the people of the Bunbury region in particular and the south west region more generally. That will enable us to provide 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week coverage for people who require surgery at the hospital. This has not been done in the past. It is an initiative that we have set in place to meet the quite proper and growing demands of the people in the Bunbury region. I would have thought that the member would congratulate us for that.
Mr J.A. McGINTY: I am telling the House what the last Government put in place and what we have changed. When members opposite were in government, there was an ad hoc arrangement about the preferred surgeon among those in town to be rung. It was not even a proper roster but a preferred arrangement of who might be able to be rung. There was not the sort of coverage that was desired. We have recruited a fourth surgeon to ensure proper coverage for the people of the Bunbury region in particular and the south west region more generally. That will enable us to provide 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week coverage for people who require surgery at the hospital. This has not been done in the past. It is an initiative that we have set in place to meet the quite proper and growing demands of the people in the Bunbury region. I would have thought that the member would congratulate us for that.
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