Page 164 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 16 February 2011
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out to the private sector, so we expect 10,700. In that there is potential for Queanbeyan if we can get agreement around how that is to operate on the ground. But there are also some private work orders that are already going out to John James and the CAPS Clinic, I think is the other place. We are already doing the work. It sounds easy.
Then it comes to a matter of budget. How much more money can you put into elective surgery and what types of surgery do you want to see done? Orthopaedic surgery is very expensive. Ear, nose and throat surgery is not as expensive. But when you are looking at even increasing your operating theatres for two hours extra a day, it sounds relatively easy. You would probably get surgeons to agree to that relatively quickly.
More complex issues go to nursing and theatre nursing as a specialised area of nursing,
extra intensive care beds because you are doing extra theatre, extra pathology because you are doing extra blood tests. It is not just about opening the theatre for two hours extra a day and that will automatically increase your throughput and everything will be okay. It is also about building capacity in the hospital to deal with the extra work that you are doing.
We have some capacity there, with the new surgical assessment and planning unit and the short-stay surgical wards that have been opened in the last year. This is really designed to try to improve the throughput through the theatres and into the hospital and have bed capacity there. But you then need nurses to staff those beds as well.
It sounds easy: extend theatres and you extend your capacity, fund it. They are the two relatively easy components. It is the other pieces of the puzzle that you need to make that work that make it difficult.
Bimberi Youth Justice Centre—human rights breaches
MS HUNTER: My question is to the Minister for Children and Young People and concerns human rights breaches at Bimberi. Minister, can you explain why handcuffs were being used to walk young people between buildings in Bimberi, as reported in the Canberra Times on 1 February of this year? Can you tell me when you became aware of this practice?
MS BURCH: I thank Ms Hunter for her questions. I will take some advice about particular incidents, whether it was a recent incident or whether it made reference to something that happened some months ago. I get reports once a month on use of force and restraints, but I can get some updated information for you, Ms Hunter.
MR SPEAKER: Ms Hunter, a supplementary question?
MS HUNTER: Yes, Mr Speaker. Minister, have you received a copy of the human rights commissioner’s report about this incident?
MS BURCH: No, I have not seen a copy of it.
MRS DUNNE: A Supplementary question, Mr Speaker.
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