Page 3652 - Week 08 - Thursday, 19 August 2010
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MR SMYTH: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Minister, has the government estimated the revenue that it would earn through the reintroduction of hospital pay parking and is this money included in the budget estimates?
MS GALLAGHER: No, it is not.
MR SPEAKER: A supplementary, Ms Le Couteur?
MS LE COUTEUR: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Minister, you mentioned security concerns as a reason for the shuttle bus. Could you tell us more about what those concerns are and what you are doing to address them?
MS GALLAGHER: The concerns that were raised with me by some nursing staff were about leaving the hospital between 9 pm and midnight, but even earlier during winter nights, and having to walk a further distance than they had in the past to their cars and feeling vulnerable about that, mainly due to lighting and distance. Those were probably the two issues. I think it was just about general moving around that precinct at evening time, regardless of how far away the car parks were, and just feeling that there were not any options, that the security guards did not necessarily have the capacity or the resources to go with them to their cars or that they could walk with other staff to their cars. We extended the shuttle bus and, indeed, we negotiated with the security guards around their ability to leave the campus to take nurses to their cars if they needed to whilst the new parking arrangements were being constructed.
I think there have been some concerns from Garran residents about people parking in the streets, which we have been trying to monitor every day as well. I think on the large part that has worked very well. People have been very good around Gilmore Crescent, just outside the school. I think the parking staff at the hospital are working very hard to make sure that they are covering off everyone’s concerns, but I accept that there is still pressure, particularly for those staff that are working outside the core shift arrangements at the hospital. Every letter of issue I get raised with me we individually follow up.
Hospitals—obstetrics units
MR HANSON: My question is to the Minister for Health and relates to A review of service delivery and clinical outcomes at public maternity units in the Australian Capital Territory. It found:
On-call registrars are expected to cover the Labour and Delivery unit as well as the Birth Centre, the acute gynaecology presentations and some clinics or operating theatre lists. This creates a potential clinical risk for a patient who requires urgent attention.
Minister, what potential clinical risks are being faced by patients who require urgent medical attention and what have you done to address the clinical risks identified by the report?
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