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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 06 Hansard (Wednesday, 23 June 2004) . . Page.. 2471 ..

not be in a position to deliver those beds unless they can be delivered in the facility currently used by RILU.

As members will be aware, older people are significant users of health services and can remain in acute wards simply because more appropriate care is not available. The ACT government has agreement from the Australian government to establish a service to provide more appropriate care for these people. The aim of this service is to provide improved restorative care to older people. It will be available to people who are medically stable and who no longer require care in an acute hospital but who require additional care and services to improve their level of functioning—

Mrs Dunne: Just like RILU patients.

MR CORBELL: You just can’t help yourself, can you, Mrs Dunne? You just can’t keep your big mouth shut for five seconds. You just can’t do it. I listened in silence to the diatribe of nonsense and outright misleading comments from your Leader of the Opposition and you cannot sit still for five seconds and listen to the debate.

Mr Smyth: On a point of order, Mr Speaker.

MR SPEAKER: Just withdraw the word “misleading”, Mr Corbell.

MR CORBELL: I am happy to withdraw the comment, but it just shows how sensitive members of the Liberal Party are on this issue. They cannot sit still for five seconds in this place and listen to a rebuttal of the load of nonsense that has come from their leader on the other side of this place. They will just have to wear that, Mr Speaker, because the position that Mr Smyth puts in this debate is simply untenable if he and the Liberal Party are to profess any care for nursing home type patients in the ACT.

I am happy to outline to members that the current enhancement of services planned for rehabilitation services includes redevelopment of the Dickson Health Centre as a base for community based services on the north side; the freeing up of additional treatment space in the Phillip Health Care Centre; and additional allied health staff, particularly clinical psychology, occupational therapy and rehabilitation engineer positions. These proposed developments are all clear evidence of the government’s commitment to enhancing and improving efficient and effective service delivery that best meets the needs of the community.

As at 22 June this year there were nine patients in RILU and 11 rehabilitation patients in Ward 12B. Some of these patients are people not receiving active rehabilitation and who may well be appropriate for the new transitional care services. The government amendment to the motion, which I have circulated and will move in my name shortly, also outlines that formal consultation will occur with the stakeholders. I will be very willing to report back to the Assembly with the outcome of that consultation. Until formal consultation is completed with consumers, carers, staff and other stakeholders, including the NRMA Road Safety Trust, no final decision will be made.

I have to again be very clear to members in this place: if this motion is supported, which directs me to maintain RILU in its existing location and based on its existing level of provision, then we will not have those transitional care beds.

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