Page 3652 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 15 October 1991
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were made about the provision of services to be very serious. I am not aware of the circumstances of the person who is alleged not to have had access to services, and until I have some more details on that person, Mr Speaker, I think it would be wrong of me to comment on the incident.
But, Mr Speaker, I think a few things need to be talked about. The health worker interviewed was not an employee of ACT Health, and the client who was the subject of the interview is serviced by the small Commonwealth HACC funded program. This general domiciliary service, which is part of community nursing, provides more extended care to clients, with the aim of delaying institutionalisation.
The client has been totally dependent on a range of community services to maintain her at her home, I am told in my brief, for approximately three years. The client receives approximately four hours of nursing care per day, or 28 hours per week, over three visits. In addition to this personal care, Home Help Services provides two visits per day and Meals on Wheels provides meals. The cost of providing these services is higher than the standard amount of funding for nursing homes, based on 27 hours of care per week.
However, philosophically, this Government is committed to maximising quality of life by caring for people in their own homes, where this is their preference. Recently, due to increasing dependency and workload, the program reviewed all services and reduced the number of showers per client per week. Where necessary, clients are now receiving a shower or a full bed sponge on alternate days. All changes were made in consultation with the client, who did not express dissatisfaction with the new care plan. In this case, the amount of nursing care is exceptional rather than the norm, based on national standards.
Mr Speaker, that is a summary of the issues. I am concerned that the complaint was not referred to my office, specifically, at first. That is not necessarily a criticism of the individual involved. The circumstances in which this person lives are obviously less than desirable; but they are, nevertheless, ones with which I am concerned.
I do not get any great joy from talking about the individual circumstances of clients of the health service, and I think those sorts of questions at times might be better directed to the relevant Ministers of the Government, in order that they can be dealt with. It came as a complete surprise to me. I am most concerned that we discuss those detailed issues about individual clients. I would ask that in future members try to seek a resolution through the relevant Minister's office before they go public grandstanding on these issues.
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