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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 10 Hansard (Thursday, 26 August 2004) . . Page.. 4493 ..

(1) Has the A.C.T. Government requested a briefing on the impact of the proposed downgrade of services at Yass District Hospital and its impact on the A.C.T. health system, in particular, our hospital system;

(2) If so, what will the impact be; if not, why not, and will the Minister be seeking a briefing in the coming days.

Mr Corbell: The answer to the member’s question is:

(1) The Government has been aware of ongoing developments in the provision of health care services throughout the southern region. ACT Health meets regularly with the Southern Area Health Service (SAHS) as a member of the ACT / SAHS Joint Health Services Planning Committee. The proposal to reduce services at the Yass District Hospital has been discussed by this Committee. A dedicated briefing on the issue has not been requested, as it is known that the proposed changes will have minimal impact on the ACT system.

(2) The reduction of services at Yass is proposed as part of a draft plan released by SAHS. The draft plan proposes that the following services be ceased:

• Birthing services: It is proposed that no births will occur at Yass District Hospital. Women from the Yass local geographical area predominately birth in ACT public and private hospitals. SAHS advised that, as at May 2004, only six births had occurred in the hospital in 2004. SAHS will continue to promote community models and shared care arrangements. The closure will have minimal flow-on effects in the ACT health system.

• Surgical services: The operating theatre will be decommissioned. Surgical services currently are provided one day a month. The draft plan indicates that the surgical lists will be transferred to Goulburn Hospital and residents requiring either general or local anaesthetics will access Goulburn or ACT hospitals. As surgical throughput at Yass Hospital is minimal, there will be little impact on the ACT system.

In accordance with the Australian Health Care Agreement (AHCA), people from other States and Territories are entitled to access ACT public hospital services in accordance with their clinical needs.

Health—student checks
(Question No 1772)

Mr Pratt asked the Minister for Education and Training, upon notice, on 19 August 2004:

(1) Do A.C.T. government schools offer (a) hearing, (b) dental and (c) eye checks regularly to students in (i) pre, (ii) primary and (iii) high school;

(2) If so, (a) how often are they conducted and (b) at which schools are they conducted; if not, why not.

Mr Corbell: The answer to the member’s question is:

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