Page 123 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 16 February 2011
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The improvements in waiting times have been particularly impressive in urology surgery, an area picked out for special comment by Dr Hughes, where the numbers of patients waiting longer than recommended waiting times has dropped by 62 per cent between March and December, falling from 592 patients to 224 at the end of 2010.
VMOs are a major component of the ACT public system, and their work is extremely valued by the government as a whole. I know that a number of VMOs give up their valuable time to assist ACT Health in developing new strategies to improve access to services and the outcomes of these services. I hope that the VMOA begin to get involved in some of the major reform work that is underway across the health system, because they have not played a role in the past. I think there is a valuable role for the peak organisation to play, if they were of a mind to be involved.
In relation to the other elements of Mr Hanson’s motion, these are all matters that he has brought to the Assembly before. He insists on blaming the GP shortage and the bulk-billing shortage on the ACT government when he knows very clearly that the ACT government has limited levers to entice and encourage more general practitioners. Instead of Mr Hanson bringing the same motion to the Assembly every month, perhaps Mr Hanson could bring a motion—
Mr Hanson interjecting—
MS GALLAGHER: which outlined exactly how many GPs he will bring to the ACT.
Mr Hanson interjecting—
MS GALLAGHER: In fact, there is nothing to stop Mr Hanson bringing GPs to the ACT now.
Mr Hanson interjecting—
MR SPEAKER: Ms Gallagher, one moment please. Stop the clocks, thank you. Mr Hanson you are warned for interjecting.
MS GALLAGHER: The point I am trying to make is that it is very easy for Mr Hanson to sit back and bring the same tired motion that gets defeated every time it comes to this place, but he has yet to offer one idea of his own. In fact, the opposition have yet to offer one idea of their own. So I want to hear from Mr Hanson how many GPs he is going to bring to the territory. Where is he going to find them? Will he resign when he does not meet that target? These are the things that Mr Hanson needs to stand up with now.
It is too long; he has had three years of bringing the same stuff to the Assembly. During that time he has not come up with one idea of what he would do or what challenge he would set himself. So where does the elective surgery list have to be? If it gets over 5,000 will he then resign? Is that the measure? What are the standards you are going to apply to yourself, Mr Hanson?
Opposition members interjecting—
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