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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 06 Hansard (Wednesday, 23 June 2004) . . Page.. 2466 ..

RILU has a unique environment, both physically and the service provided within the walls…It is RILU’s unique home like design and atmosphere which provides patients with the essential final step towards independence which enables them to return home. RILU is the only environment where a patient who usually lives alone at home, can be accommodated in a single cottage and allowed to manage all their daily activities independently. Thus providing a final ‘test’ of the persons’ readiness to return home.

RILU is the only unit where a wheelchair bound patient who has narrow doors and corridors at home, can be accommodated in a unit with narrow doors and corridors to allow them to learn the wheelchair skills they require to manage at home.

RILU is the only unit where a patient who has steps to negotiate at home, can be accommodated in a room where he/she must negotiate steps to access the dining room. This provides constant practice and retraining of stair climbing to achieve independence.

It goes on, but summarises by saying:

I cannot see how these aspects of the service, which is currently located in RILU, can be replicated either on 12B or in the community rehabilitation team.

It is all of these things which make RILU irreplaceable, and an asset to ACT Health.

I think the minister is going to try and convince us that he can do that inside 12B. He is going to close down a house that has narrow corridors like at home, narrow doors, a small bathroom and steps, a kitchen, a laundry and a garden, where you can learn to be at home again. He is going to shut that so he can spend money to replicate it in a hospital ward. We are going to build narrow corridors in a hospital—or are we just going to put out witches hats? Are we going to narrow some doors in a hospital ward, which I suspect might be in contravention of building codes, or will we just put out witches hats? It is not the same. People who have had strokes or amputations—and that is who we are talking about, people who are at a vulnerable time in their lives—will not get what they deserve: the real ability to go home with confidence.

We have seen the incorrect information that has been put about on RILU. Its bed numbers are down because the government has chosen to let its bed numbers be down. It is the Sir Humphrey answer: we will wind it down, then when it gets to half of what it used to be we can shut it. That is not a compassionate, caring government. We have a government that says they are involved in consultation—they will consult with people—but, as we know, the decision has already been made. I will read the last paragraph of the minute from ACT Health for members. It talks about having looked at RILU as a preferred site, including acceptability to the Commonwealth for funding such a facility. The last paragraph says:

Management of TCH and community health will be meeting with all key stakeholders to discuss the implications of this decision within the next week.

It is a done deal; the unit is closing. Mr Corbell and his senior echelons have made the decision, despite their protestations that they have not; otherwise this minute is incorrect. Why they are consulting on how to put in place the minister’s decision if the decision has not been made is beyond me, but I am sure Mr Corbell will attempt to explain that away.

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