Page 4732 - Week 13 - Thursday, 28 November 2019
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Minister for Urban Renewal) (11.18): I rise today in response to the Assembly’s resolution to provide an update on progress to provide alternative arrangements to the Canberra Hospital hydrotherapy pool. The resolution called on the ACT government to report back to the Assembly by the last sitting day of 2019 on the further progress in implementing the recommendations in the Nous report, including in relation to the market sounding process and the process of supporting pool users to access other suitable locations.
Earlier this year the ACT government engaged Nous Group to undertake an assessment of access to hydrotherapy in the ACT. Today I will be providing members, and the community, with an update on progress on the recommendations from the Nous report.
The government has been open in its communication with Arthritis ACT and members to keep the pool open until a way forward is identified. In line with the government’s commitment, Canberra Health Services has extended the hydrotherapy pool user agreement with Arthritis ACT until 31 December 2019.
Nous worked closely with Arthritis ACT in the development of its report, as well as their members and users of the Canberra Hospital hydrotherapy pool. The Weston Creek Community Council and Sharing Places were included as part of the community consultation. Nous also worked with government officials from Canberra Health Services and the education and health directorates to ensure that the views of a range of clinical and allied health professionals were incorporated.
The Nous report outlines the contributing factors that have led to the situation we find ourselves in today. I will provide members and the community today with an update on the recommendations, and the progress against each one.
Recommendation 1 of the report was that Canberra Health Services and the ACT Health Directorate should:
…engage quickly and in enough depth with Arthritis ACT to make clear the basis on which it has drawn its conclusions regarding the safety and fit for purpose condition of the TCH pool. This should be a defined and time-bounded process, of weeks at most.
As I previously reported, this recommendation was essentially completed on 7 August 2019, when the ACT Health Directorate met with the Arthritis ACT board, its members and users of the Canberra Hospital hydrotherapy pool to present the Nous Group report and its recommendations. Canberra Health Services outlined the current condition and safety issues with the hydrotherapy pool at Canberra Hospital, explaining the infrastructure and safety issues in more detail. Arthritis ACT’s members were able to ask questions and have their concerns taken on board in the forum.
I understand that, in looking at the pool, one might have the impression that it is fit for purpose, safe and not suffering from extensive maintenance issues. However, the infrastructure supporting the pool’s operation deems it unsafe and not fit for purpose.
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