Page 66 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 13 February 1990
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establishment of a permanent hospital board with its status, role and powers clearly defined in appropriate legislation.
Mr Berry: You have dumped community consultation and turned your back on the Rally.
MR COLLAERY: This Government, Mr Berry, has done what you dithered about. I have already confirmed the appointment of members of the interim board until such time as legislation is passed. Drafting instructions are now with the legislative counsel and the Government has given high priority to the passage of this legislation.
The permanent board, under the effective guidance of my colleague, Mr Humphries, will be given the necessary legislative power to take full responsibility for the management of the Woden Valley and Royal Canberra Hospitals and to move towards improvements in teaching and research as a major step to the delivery of better and higher quality health services. This means that I will be expecting the hospital board to manage - I withdraw that comment. This means that my colleague Mr Humphries will be expecting the hospital board to manage the hospital services within the budget to ensure high quality services and good industrial relations outcomes. Like hospital and area health boards across the country the board will be given a clear charter to administer the hospitals within the policy guidelines laid down by the ACT Government.
With the creation of the permanent hospital board the primary role of my colleague Mr Humphries' department in the area of hospital services will be: identifying health care needs and priorities and developing appropriate service responses; determining policy, planning and setting and monitoring standards; ensuring a proper balance between the promotion of good health and treatment services; resource allocation; and, finally, major industrial matters, work force restructuring and management improvement.
The Alliance Government believes that a clinical school for the later stages of undergraduate medical training will also contribute to an improvement in the standard and nature of health care in the Territory. A report on the options and implications of the development of such a school is now being prepared. A clinical school will undoubtedly bring opportunities for all professional groups involved in the health sector. Promoting and protecting public health will be another priority for the Alliance Government, as we know it was for the Labor Party when it was in government.
I have given priority to legislation to regulate tobacco use, sponsorships and advertising. As I am sure most members are aware, tobacco use is the single major preventable factor in death and disease rates experienced in the ACT. It is a major concern to see the use of
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