Page 121 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 16 February 2011
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The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare shows we have more than doubled the number of doctors working for our hospital over the past seven years and have also managed a 50 per cent increase in the number of nurses. These extra clinicians provide us with the capacity to meet growing demand across the spectrum of services in the territory.
In relation to outpatient services at Canberra Hospital, the access improvement program is a partnership with Canberra Hospital, and a review was initiated in July 2010 to improve the processes within outpatient services. This was an approach that ACT Health took in consultation with me to review services to identify those potential areas for improvement.
A detailed analysis of the current process issues was undertaken and followed up by documentation of a solution design. This draft companion was completed in December 2010, and it outlines a series of improvements to strategic operational and communication processes as well as including a detailed implementation plan to support the implementation of new processes. This companion was endorsed for implementation without change by the Canberra Hospital outpatient service governance committee on 7 February 2011.
In relation to the classification of categories identified in the audit report, I have already noted my disappointment that the documentation requirements for the reclassification of patients were not always undertaken in line with the policies. But, as the audit noted, there was no conspiracy to change patient classifications to make waiting lists report look better. While we accept the need to do better here—and we have already put in place an internal audit process to achieve this—the issue needs to be placed in the context of elective surgery as a whole.
The report also fails to note that the 250 cases of reclassification of category 1 patients to category 2 that were included in the audit comprised only 2.5 per cent of the total elective surgery throughput. So while we accept the need to improve in this area, the overwhelming majority of people who are waiting for surgery wait without having their category changed. This report also failed to note that almost as many patients had their waiting list category upgraded as those who were downgraded. This is important to note but it is being ignored by those opposite.
Statements by some in the media would suggest that classifications only go one way, yet 47 per cent of all reclassifications were for people having their category upgraded. Most importantly, the capacity to reclassify patients is essential to the effective management of a person’s condition.
Opposition members interjecting—
MR SPEAKER: Order! Ms Gallagher, one moment, please. Stop the clocks, thank you. Members of the opposition, I asked for Mr Hanson to be heard in silence; I expect Ms Gallagher to be extended the same courtesy.
MS GALLAGHER: Our hospitals need the capacity to make changes to a person’s position on the waiting list, subject to changes in patient needs. As the numbers show,
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