Page 3760 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 22 November 2006
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program at Canberra Hospital—buprenorphine being an alternative to methadone—is 6 December and that for six days over Christmas the program will be run by a skeleton team; a problem compounded by the team already being down two doctors and prospective patients having to wait three to four weeks to access the program. Minister, given that it is essential for opiate-addicted people to access treatment regularly and when they choose to do so, why are steps not being taken to ensure that this program is available over the often very difficult time of Christmas?
MS GALLAGHER: I thank Dr Foskey for the question. I am not aware of the service not being available over Christmas. I am not sure whether you are talking about new people to the program or existing clients of the program. There is obviously a range of ways that patients or users of the methadone program access their treatment, only one of which is through the hospital. Many of the people accessing the methadone program do so through arrangements with community pharmacies as well. I am not sure whether you can clarify whether you are talking about access for new clients or existing clients. Work force issues across the board in health are always an issue. I am happy to take some more advice on the program and how it runs over Christmas, but my understanding is that it will be running over Christmas for all the users of that service that go to the hospital every day for their treatment.
MR SPEAKER: Do you have a supplementary question, Dr Foskey?
DR FOSKEY: Yes, thanks. I might follow that up. Minister, I have also been informed that Canberra Hospital cannot take—
MR SPEAKER: Come to the question.
DR FOSKEY: appointments for 2007 because the computers are unable to deal with the new—
MR SPEAKER: Dr Foskey—
DR FOSKEY: What steps are being taken to remedy the problem that Canberra Hospital apparently cannot take any appointments for 2007 because the computers are unable to deal with the new date?
MS GALLAGHER: Is that linked to the methadone program?
DR FOSKEY: It is linked to the arrangements at Canberra Hospital over Christmas.
MS GALLAGHER: So it is more a question across the board for all—
DR FOSKEY: Yes, thank you.
MS GALLAGHER: I just do not think that is correct. Canberra Hospital is making a number of appointments for people in 2007. Whether it is something specific to the methadone program or it is across the board through outpatient clinics or whatever, my understanding is that there is no problem with 2007. I will come back to the
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