Page 3678 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 15 October 1991
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came to me expressing some disquiet about the service in which they were employed. They told me that there was scope for much greater efficiencies in that service and much greater improvement in the whole background of that service.
Ms Maher: Yes.
MR WOOD: Ms Maher seems to indicate that she remembers as well. The community nurses provide a humane, warm, caring and wonderful service; but there is much more that they may do to see that it is provided in full measure. There would seem to be some reaction from some in that quarter about steps to see that the path that I have suggested is being followed. I hope that what appeared on the Matt Abraham program this morning was a genuine effort to express the interest of an aged and infirm patient. I certainly hope that it was not a case of some people using that patient to further their own ends. That would be very undesirable.
Mr Berry has passed to me, to read into the record, the response of the department to the claims that were made this morning. I think these should be read and understood to provide some balance to what has been said. The health worker, as we know from question time, is not an employee of ACT Health; but is a home and community care funded personal health worker. Might I say that they are a body of people whom I respect, with the comment that I made earlier to be acknowledged.
Mr Humphries: On a point of order, Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker: This matter was read into the Assembly record only an hour ago, in question time. Standing orders do require that speeches not be tedious or repetitious. I ask Mr Wood to find some new argument to support the tenuous case that the Government is putting.
MR WOOD: Mr Humphries seems not to want to hear this. However, in deference to you, Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker - - -
MADAM TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mrs Grassby): I do not remember those exact words being read in, Mr Humphries.
MR WOOD: Mr Humphries would rather avoid this, so I will truncate this a little, to allow for his sensitivities. The client, the patient, has been totally dependent on a range of community services for quite some time. She receives approximately 28 hours per week of care, as I am informed. In addition to that personal care, Home Help Services provides two visits a day and Meals on Wheels also provides assistance. Understandably and acceptably, the cost for this is quite considerable. But that is acceptable because the Government is committed to maximising quality of life by caring for people in their own homes, where this is their preference.
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