Page 480 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 5 March 2008
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
workers, but it does not reflect the reality of the performance that is received by patients.
Only by first accepting those facts—the facts about the time delays and problems—can we solve the problems and try to improve the efficiency of health services in this territory. It is about time that the ACT government recognised the evidence of poor performance through a formal motion in the Assembly, which is what I am seeking to do today. I would like the government to at least recognise that there are significant concerns about key statistics in ACT hospitals. We cannot be in a constant state of denial. If we are in a constant state of denial about performance, then performance will never improve to the level that the public can reasonably expect.
Aside from recognising the evidence of poor performance in the report on government services, this motion calls for the Assembly to welcome the recent announcement by the ACT government on its consideration of a major overhaul of Canberra hospitals. I believe in giving credit where credit is due; it is good to see that the government is giving greater consideration to this problem than it has in the past. I have said in public circumstances and the media that the ACT needs a state-of-the-art health system.
Whilst we have not yet heard an outline of the government’s proposals in detail, I am happy to see that more ideas are being put on the table. I will be particularly interested to see the government’s timetable for the implementation of changes in the ACT hospitals. We need to look to new technologies; look at alternative patient and surgical management systems—we heard something about that this week—and in general be prepared to make significant changes to the system that is, as I have outlined in some detail, not performing as well as it should.
Based on the minimal detail that is available from the government’s announcement several weeks ago, it would appear that such improvements are at least in the mix. I welcome this consideration. On 11 February, under the headline “Health-care reform plan for Canberra”, the Canberra Times reported a host of different reforms that are being addressed by the territory government, including expansion of the emergency department; expansion of the day surgery unit; more beds; and more operating theatres, including a state-of-the-art brain lab. Hopefully we will do a little bit better with our theatres than they did in New South Wales; I am sure we will. They also included the creation of an integrated cancer centre, an area of enormous interest to our ageing community; opening a one-stop ambulatory centre; and providing more car parking. Out at Calvary, again there are plans to open more beds, expand the emergency department and open more operating theatres.
The community health area has also been highlighted. There are plans to set up a new community health centre in Gungahlin, where we have a massive demand with young families, and for various other measures that have been announced. No doubt the minister will talk about that in some detail.
These are good initiatives. It sounds as though the message is being heard loud and clear. But the biggest single issue in this territory that people raise is the state of health. There is nothing else that I hear higher on the radar. There are complaints
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .