Page 763 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 13 April 1994
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One other matter which I think is important was the accreditation of Woden Valley Hospital. Even in the course of the construction work that was going on at that hospital it was able to achieve accreditation. I think, by any standard, that was a great achievement. I do not think there was much applause from the Liberals on that either. In fact, I think they complained that the chocolates I handed out were not made in Australia. How miserable! I think all of the staff who worked to make that accreditation a success are to be congratulated, and they have been.
Our Community Nursing Service became only the third major community nursing agency in Australia to be awarded three years' full accreditation by the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards. The accreditation survey took place in 1992 and covered all areas - administration, education, quality assurance and so on. Accreditation was also granted for two years for the mental health post-basic nursing course. Calvary Hospital was surveyed and awarded a continuation of its accreditation status. On 15 March clinical services and teaching in obstetrics at Woden Valley Hospital achieved accreditation. There was no applause. Jindalee Nursing Home, the one the Liberals want us to sell, also achieved three years' accreditation by the council. The breast screening clinic also worked towards accreditation by the national accreditation committee and 12 months' accreditation has been granted. The health advancement service has been reviewed and we are working on that one. So on it goes.
Accreditation has been awarded in many areas in health. Whilst I cannot take credit for all of the hard work that has gone into it, I am proud to be associated with a health system that is working towards those sorts of aims and objectives. They are doing it under Labor and they are supported under Labor. The workers out there know that the Labor Party is a consistent supporter of the public hospital system. We will not abandon them and we will not sell off those profitable bits to the private sector. They know that that is not the case with the Liberals. There have been public health legislative reforms. There are the public health regulations. The Food Act was sorted out under Labor - something that could not be dealt with by the Liberals - and so on it goes.
We managed, as a result of the closure of one of our hospitals, to accrue a great deal of surplus equipment. Vietnam is topical at the moment because of the visit by the Prime Minister. We were able to ship out about eight container loads of surplus equipment to Vietnam. That was coordinated by the project officer of the redevelopment project and Vietnam Outreach. We have also provided excess books to the people of Lithuania, and so on. So we are world players as well. There are people in need who are not so well off. It has been my pleasure to be able to approve those things going to help other people. The list becomes quite long.
The ACT methadone program has been expanded to over 300 places. I cannot remember, aside from the VITAB issue, anything that I was criticised over more than the methadone program, and here we are with 300 places. Mr Moore at least has said that it is okay. I am not sure that his mate Mr Stevenson would agree. Mrs Carnell has not been helpful in that program. Those people in need do not need controversy.
Mr Humphries: What did you do in opposition, Wayne?
MR BERRY: They would not get it from us, but they certainly got it from the Liberals.
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