Page 3448 - Week 10 - Thursday, 20 October 2022
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As part of the $50 million expansion of the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children, a new model of care has been developed for the adolescent unit. A new model of care is also being developed for a paediatric short-stay unit, to enhance the
journey for paediatrics. This unit will have eight beds and cater for children who need an admission that is projected to be for less than 24 hours.
The CHS Gender Service is being developed to provide interdisciplinary support in the ACT and surrounding regions for children, young people, adults and their families with gender concerns or gender dysphoria.
A governance redesign and overarching model of care for enhanced health services to deliver multidisciplinary, collaborative and integrated services for women, children and families experiencing complex health and psychosocial issues, including child abuse and neglect, family violence and complex trauma, was endorsed in July 2022.
As part of the $624 million Canberra Hospital expansion project, the ACT government has invested in the establishment of a level 1 paediatric intensive care service and capability, and an expanded paediatric emergency department within the new critical services building. There will be four dedicated paediatric beds in the new intensive care unit and a dedicated paediatric stream in the emergency department that will include a separate waiting area and courtyard. Construction on the critical services building is due to be completed in 2024.
On 8 August 2022 the ACT Health Services Plan 2022-30 was launched, which outlines an eight-year road map for improving the way our health services work together in the ACT. The ACT Health Services Plan provides direction for more detailed health system planning for children and adolescents, through a child and adolescent clinical services plan.
I recently announced the formation of the Child and Adolescent Clinical Services Expert Panel, which will bring this work together with other reviews and initiatives to ensure that all recommendations remain relevant and to monitor progress. I will shortly be in a position to announce the full membership of the expert panel, but I can say that it will be independently chaired by Professor Michael Brydon OAM, a leading child health expert who was previously Chief Executive of the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network and has already provided independent expertise on key ACT government projects, including the First 1000 Days or Best Start strategy.
Finally, in June 2022, independent assessors from the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards, with significant expertise in healthcare delivery, governance, leadership and administration, assessed Canberra Health Services as an organisation against the eight national safety and quality health service standards. This included an assessment of paediatric services and the work being undertaken as a result of the review. The assessment found that CHS had met all of the standards, including the comprehensive actions underpinning those standards that ensure health services are delivering safe, quality care.
I am pleased to be able to table this report in the Assembly today. I apologise to colleagues that we were not able to include it on the list of papers that was circulated. I thank the Assembly for their indulgence in enabling me to make a statement today.
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