Page 2332 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 16 September 1992
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The Youth Affairs Network formed an adolescent ward working party late in 1991, Madam Speaker. I met with members of that working party in February and I recall meeting with members again recently. I discussed with the members of the working party a draft submission they were preparing at the time on the establishment of an adolescent ward at Woden Valley Hospital. That group has put a lot of hard work into it. Their organisational skills are to be commended because they were able to pull together a range of interested people, including experts in adolescent care, to advise them in respect of the future of services which might be provided in the ACT for adolescents.
A range of professionals are interested. I was particularly impressed with the enthusiasm for improved adolescent care by some of the nurses who are involved in that area, particularly the ones who work with youngsters who have longstanding illnesses. Cystic fibrosis is one of those. In fact it is the most prominent one which requires longstanding care from health professionals. They are a very impressive group of young people. It is because of the unfortunate requirement to attend hospital regularly that they become so expert. They are able to advise people on the shortcomings of a system because of their experience in the system. Fortunately, not too many of us develop an expertise through long attendances in hospital, but we can learn from the wisdom which is developed by the attendance of people who are long-suffering and who have to use our hospitals regularly.
Mr Cornwell: The consumers.
MR BERRY: Indeed. We very often take our advice from the professionals who are there all of the time. We do not often have the advice of the people who use our system a lot and are able to keep us advised. These young people in particular impressed me with their knowledge of what was required for their particular needs. They were able to advise too, more broadly, in relation to what they thought would be appropriate for adolescents with other injuries and illnesses which might cause them to use the hospital system.
Madam Speaker, officers of Woden Valley Hospital are providing that working party with detailed data on the number and type of admissions of adolescents and details of the hospital redevelopment plan. Early in the piece, in February, I told them that we would provide some resources to assist them with the development of their plans, and I am told that a full and final submission is due shortly. That submission will be considered in the context of the hospital redevelopment planning process. I have to say at this point that ward space for such a facility will not be readily available, but if it is decided to proceed with such a facility it could not happen before 1994-95 because of the planning of the hospital redevelopment process and the way the packages of reconstruction are going ahead. The new permanent ward accommodation for paediatrics will be commissioned at the end of 1992. It includes separate en suite facilities suitable for adolescents, as well as recreational facilities, particularly for chronically ill adolescents.
It is also important to note that there is a difference between, I think, an adolescent unit and an adolescent ward. I have circulated an amendment to omit the word "unit" and replace it with "ward". I will explain why that approach has been taken. In an adolescent unit the patients are managed by subspecialists in adolescent medicine, with consultation, where necessary, with subspecialists in other disciplines. On the other hand, patients in an adolescent ward, as opposed
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