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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 1 Hansard (17 February) . . Page.. 210 ..

MR STEFANIAK (continuing):

at the hospital. Five areas are being investigated as potential areas for telehealth development - psychiatry, home-based renal dialysis, medical and other health professional education, trauma and emergency, and general practitioner support.

Our status as a regional service centre has been further enhanced by the establishment on 1 October last year of the aeromedical retrieval service, using the emergency services helicopter SouthCare, with clinical staff provided by the Canberra Hospital. That service is enabling a rapid response to medical emergencies in the surrounding region. Needless to say, members will appreciate the fantastic job that it did rescuing sailors during the Sydney to Hobart yacht race - absolutely fantastic.

Mr Speaker, 176 people have undergone cardiac surgery in the first year of operation of Canberra's first cardiac surgery unit. That unit's capacity was further increased during the year by the appointment of a second cardiac surgeon. The renegotiation of contracts with the VMOs led to some disputation; but the new contracts have resulted in a fairer arrangement for the ACT community, to better ensure the effective use of taxpayers' funds. The sum of $11m has been committed to a major redevelopment of Calvary Public Hospital to upgrade patient areas and to install and improve fire services. An amount of $85,000 was provided to upgrade the antenatal clinic at Calvary, with work expected to be completed by March.

The $20m National Capital Private Hospital opened in August, providing a significant expansion of services and improved choice for privately insured patients in the ACT and the surrounding region. In addition, a range of service agreements has been put in place between the Canberra Hospital and the National Capital Private Hospital, providing increased revenue opportunities for the public hospital.

I could go on. There are lots of other areas in which my colleague Mr Moore has notched up some significant achievements; but, given that most of the motion does seem to revolve around the Canberra Hospital, I think those significant achievements speak volumes for what this Minister has actually brought to the portfolio. I commend him for his efforts.

I would also commend to members Mr Humphries' circulated amendment to Mr Stanhope's motion. It recognises that there is a need for further improvement, that there is a need to contain the finances of the hospital to within its budget, that there is a need to ensure that waiting times for elective surgery are kept as low as possible, and that there is a need for the Minister to deal positively with the staff of the Canberra Hospital. Also, the appointment of a new chief executive officer to address the hospital's budget overrun needs to be looked at. Of course, there is a need for the Government to maintain firm oversight of the management of the Canberra Hospital. We recognise those things. We are not turning a blind eye to them. I would commend to members Mr Humphries' circulated amendment and I would ask members to think about the very significant achievements that Mr Moore has notched up over the space of 10 months or so, since being Minister. I urge members to support Mr Humphries' circulated amendment, not Mr Stanhope's substantive motion.

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