Page 2891 - Week 10 - Tuesday, 13 August 2013
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known, based on the department’s own strategic plans and based on the evidence drawn, would not take pressure off the ED; it would increase pressure on the ED. The review has found that that is the case.
So the point needs to be made that the government—and we have asked in the committee report for it to say why it is, why do we have the longest ED waiting times in the country and why have they deteriorated—needs to take some responsibility and culpability for this. And we need to see some acknowledgement that mistakes have been made along the way. But mistakes are compounded when you are out there telling the public that something is going to fix a problem when it is actually going to make it worse.
With regard to elective surgery, the committee recommended that the government advise the Assembly on why it is the worst or near worst performing jurisdiction for elective surgery achievements and advise the Assembly when we will actually reach national or better than national average in terms of targets in elective surgery (Second speaking period taken.) The government’s response to this, again, is the same spin that we are seeing from the government, which is not accepting responsibility and acknowledging the problem. And the government’s response says that we are the only jurisdiction to meet its NES targets.
But as we have identified before, the targets for the ACT are, in many cases, 30 to 35 per cent lower than the targets in many other jurisdictions. Yes, the ACT achieved its target but those targets were set significantly lower than those for most other jurisdictions. In fact, on aggregate, the targets were the lowest by some margin across all jurisdictions.
I think there has been some improvement in elective surgery, looking at the figures. I am always a little sceptical about looking at health figures these days, but it does appear that there has been, and I think that is good news. I think that we need to maintain that pressure. It is clear that there is more work to be done, but there has been some improvement. And I welcome that.
When I started as shadow health minister I identified three key areas that needed particular attention, and they were GPs, elective surgery and emergency departments. I think that progress has been made in two of those areas. And I will continue to put pressure on all those areas but particularly on our EDs.
In particular, my attention has now been drawn towards mental health as a particular focus. I think that that is an area that also requires some significant attention by the government, and we have had quite a bit to say about mental health. Indeed, we have talked about the secure mental health facility, and there is no doubt that it is an area that is under some significant pressure. There have been some positive steps by the government that I acknowledge. But I think there is much more work that needs to be done in this area.
We have seen some real problems at the adult mental health unit, tables being only one part of it. But most particularly, I am concerned about the assaults on nurses. It was the executive director of ACT Mental Health, Justice Health and Alcohol and
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