Page 1695 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 15 May 2019
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It is certainly not the case that it is just today’s motion that has bought me to the point where we are doing this work. We are doing it collaboratively. I cannot see everyone in the gallery. My eyesight prevents me from clearly seeing everyone who is in the gallery, but I understand that representatives of Arthritis ACT are here. I have met them and had discussions with them in good faith on my commitment to resolve this issue and to understand a variety of the issues that are arising.
When it comes to ensuring access on the south side, it is very clear that that is what we are intending to do. I would be genuinely interested to hear from visitors in the gallery today if they are currently using public transport to access Canberra Hospital for hydrotherapy purposes. I would be genuinely interested to learn more about that so that we can perhaps support them with some other options that I know are available through community transport.
If there are a number of people here today who are currently accessing Canberra Hospital for hydrotherapy, to use the hydrotherapy pool, I would be genuinely interested to understand their usage of public transport in doing that and to see whether we can work with any individuals who are currently using public transport to help them on their journeys and perhaps to outline to them a number of other options that we know currently exist.
In the short period that Mrs Dunne’s amendment was being circulated, I sought advice about water temperatures. I know this has been discussed. I also have been advised on a number of issues that may come up. Indeed, I am advised by Canberra Health Services that in some cases a high temperature range can exclude people who could otherwise experience therapeutic benefit. So there is a range of different descriptions and definitions.
I understand that there are differences between a hydrotherapy pool, hydrotherapy sessions and warm water sessions. I understand all of that. I will seek to clarify the current work that is underway to get some clear definitions in this space so that we all have a collective and shared understanding between Arthritis ACT and Canberra Health Services. It may also help to understand what the actual differences are between warm water exercise programs that may be offered in a lower temperature pool and the same sessions that are offered in a higher temperature pool. If a warm water exercise program is being offered, it can also be offered in lower temperature pools. However, if there are differences in the experience, we will further seek to understand those.
Certainly, the advice to me is that there is an Australian standard for hydrotherapy pools. There is a range of clinical documents available to bring some clarity to this and to work even further with Arthritis ACT. As I indicated in my previous comments, it is certainly the case that if there are hydrotherapy pools currently not heated to the appropriate temperature, I believe that the government can bring its negotiations and its resources to bear to have discussions with other operators about whether or not temperatures can be increased if it is viable to do so. As I indicated in my previous speech, that is certainly something that we will explore. I am fine to agree to Mrs Dunne’s amendment to my amendment to Mrs Dunne’s original motion.
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