Page 1300 - Week 05 - Thursday, 31 May 2007
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
make sure that the administrative and management side of the hospital is not costing so much.
If we are looking for savings, they will be reinvested in the hospital system. That is what we are doing. That work is underway. We believe that will ensure that we will get down to 10 per cent above national benchmark. We are not setting ourselves the target of zero. We accept that Canberrans seek and receive a very high quality health system. That costs money. This government funds health accordingly.
MR SESELJA: Minister, how many more “comprehensive programs” will it take to start resolving the problems that exist in the ACT’s public hospitals?
MS GALLAGHER: The reform work is underway, and that takes time. It is not about a new plan. It is about trying to ensure that the work that is already being done into setting up the hospital to deliver the best patient care that we can in the most efficient way is completed. There is work underway at the emergency department, but that work goes right through the hospital. It is following the patient journey from beginning to end. It is reforming the way we do work. We would like to have seen, particularly in categories 3 and 4, improvements earlier than we have seen them, but we are confident that we have in place a plan to address the situation. It is around improving access, particularly at the emergency department, in those two categories.
We need to put this report in context. There were three single areas in this report where the ACT did not perform well. Of all the measures in a 400-page report, there were three areas. They were category 3 in the emergency department, category 4 in the emergency department, and waits for elective surgery.
Mr Smyth: Reasonably important categories, though.
MS GALLAGHER: They are important. I am not saying that they are not important. I am just trying to put it in context. I have been to the hospital today. When these reports get put into the media and you have words like we have had today—that we have the worst health system in the country—that affects staff in our health system, because they are delivering excellent health services. Everyone knows that. Mr Smyth says that all the time; he will always back the staff. The thing that this report does when it gets out, perpetuated by some of the comments today, is that it reflects badly on staff, because they are accused of having the worst health system in the country.
Mrs Burke: No way. That’s ridiculous.
MS GALLAGHER: That is how it happens, Jacqui. You can’t just blame me.
Mrs Burke: Ha, ha! You are the minister.
MS GALLAGHER: Well, you can.
MR SPEAKER: Order! Mrs Burke, I warn you. Minister, it would be better for you not to be provoked by interjections. Direct your comments through me.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .