Page 946 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 17 March 2010
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You are out of touch in this government. You are arrogant and you are unsympathetic. That is the verdict coming not just from me but from the community. For the reasons I have outlined, the motion condemns the minister for her performance. I think it is quite clear that when you look at this minister’s performance she has failed to manage the ACT health portfolio effectively. The list of failures is extensive. She did fail to ensure that the communication procedures in ACT Health are effective. She has even admitted that. She has failed to be transparent and open with the public about critical issues in the performance on her portfolio. It is clear that that is true.
In conclusion, I want to clarify that this is about the government. As Vesna and Bosom Buddies have said, this is about the government. This is not about the staff, and as much as the minister would spin it that I am attacking staff, that is not the case. I have the greatest respect for those staff. And I have the greatest respect for Vesna for coming forward and letting the community know about this appalling situation in the ACT.
MS GALLAGHER (Molonglo—Deputy Chief Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Health and Minister for Industrial Relations) (10.28): This motion is another example of the way that the Liberal opposition do things. This motion is not about healthcare services that are available to the people of the ACT; it is much more about Mr Hanson trying to improve his media profile.
There can be little else more distressing than getting a cancer diagnosis. Being told you have cancer not only affects the person with the diagnosis but also their families and friends. As with any cancer diagnosis, getting access to appropriate services as quickly as possible provides the best chance for beating the disease. This government is committed to providing as many health services as possible for our community. This commitment ensures that almost all Canberrans have access to almost all the health services they need close to families and friends. However, where services are not available, ACT Health refers people interstate to minimise waiting times for care, especially in cases where delays can result in negative health outcomes. Of course, we would prefer that all people in the ACT had access to services in Canberra, but we will always work to find a solution where services are not available to provide them within the appropriate time frames.
Rather than indulge in mud-slinging, let us look at a few numbers relating to cancer incidence and the responsiveness of our radiation therapy service. The incidence of cancer in Australia and around the world is growing. The 2008 ACT Chief Health Officer report states that the incidence of cancer is increasing by about 22 per cent per annum. Activity within the radiation oncology service for the Capital Region Cancer Service over the 2009 calendar year was nearly 14 per cent higher than the previous year, and referrals to radiation therapy continue to grow, with ACT Health reporting a 35 per cent increase in new patient referrals to the service for this financial year compared to the same period in the last financial year.
Despite this considerable and unprecedented increase in provision of services within the radiation oncology service, the trend is for waiting times for care to actually improve. Over a period of unprecedented increases in the provision of services within
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