Page 6408 - Week 19 - Tuesday, 17 December 1991

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VALLEY/ROYAL CANBERRA HOSPITALS WAS 38%, COMPARED WITH 26% SOME TWO YEARS LATER. MOREOVER, THIS SHIFT APPEARS TO BE PLACING MORE PATIENTS INTO PUBLIC BEDS RATHER THAN INTO PRIVATE BEDS IN PRIVATE HOSPITALS. EACH SUCH SHIFT TO THE PUBLIC SECTOR PLACES BURDENS ON OUR PUBLIC HOSPITAL SYSTEM WITH WHICH IS INCREASINGLY UNABLE TO COPE. EVERY PATIENT WELL OFF ENOUGH TO PAY FOR PRIVATE HEALTH CARE THAT USES PUBLIC FACILITIES USES THEM AT THE EXPENSE OF PUBLIC PATIENTS WHO CANT AFFORD PRIVATE FACILITIES. THE COMMITTEE WOULD BE LESS CONCERNED IF THE PUBLIC SYSTEM WERE IN FACT ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE ALL COMERS, BUT CLEARLY THIS IS NOT THE CASE.

THE COMMITTEE HEARD THAT THERE ARE INDEED EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST IN BUILDING ADDITIONAL PRIVATE FACILITIES IN THE A.C.T. AS SUCH THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS TO THE GOVERNMENT THAT IT RE-OPEN TENDERS FOR PRIVATE HOSPITAL FACILITIES, ALTHOUGH IT FEELS THAT SUCH FACILITIES MAY WELL BE MOST PRACTICALLY PLACED NEAR TO A PUBLIC HOSPITAL AND WOULD IDEALLY CONTAIN AT LEAST 100 BEDS.

MY COLLEAGUES WILL UNDOUBTEDLY SPEAK ABOUT OTHER MATTERS, IN PARTICULAR THE NEED FOR A CLINICAL MEDICAL SCHOOL IN THE A.C.T. AND THE REQUIREMENTS FOR HOSPICE FACILITIES. I PERSONALLY VIEW THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A CLINICAL SCHOOL AS A HIGH PRIORITY, AND URGE THE GOVERNMENT TO TREAT THIS ISSUE ACCORDINGLY. I WISH ONLY AT THIS JUNCTURE TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES, WHOSE CO-OPERATION WAS PLEASANTLY FORTHCOMING, AND IN PARTICULAR THE STAFF OF THE COMMITTEE, NOTABLY MR ROD POWER AND HIS ASSISTANT MS ANNA PATEL. THE PRESSURE ON THEM IN THE FINAL FEW HOURS BEFORE THE REPORT WAS TABLED WAS, AS MEMBERS MAY BE AWARE, QUITE ENORMOUS AND I AM INDEBTED TO THEIR PROFESSIONALISM IN THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES.

I MOVE THAT THE REPORT BE NOTED.

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