Page 4397 - Week 15 - Wednesday, 21 November 1990
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patient services. It will bring together hospital and departmental personnel and members of the medical profession. In addition, the board is currently undertaking recruitment action with some senior specialist positions and also reviewing operating theatre management, both of which will have a very significant impact on those waiting lists. It is my hope and my goal that through those measures we can not only preserve but perhaps improve the timely delivery of services to ACT patients through the redevelopment.
Hospitals - Waiting Lists
MR BERRY: My question is also directed to the Minister for Health, Education and the Arts. My question is as follows: is the Minister aware that a patient on the waiting list for neurosurgery on his back was put on the methadone program for pain relief while waiting for a bed in the ACT hospital system? Does the Minister support the use of addictive drugs to keep patients out of pain while they wait up to 12 months for surgery?
MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, I think Mr Berry is epitomising the kind of low tactics that I referred to earlier in response to earlier questions. He is making references to particular cases, trying to pretend that particular cases prove a general point and in some way establish his proposition that the hospital redevelopment is a bad thing. Again, Mr Berry makes no attempt to substantiate that through the question. He cannot substantiate that through the question because he takes an isolated case. Of course, the answer is that I do not know of that particular case. I will, of course, take it on notice and discover what the facts are concerning that particular case.
I have to say, if I am to rely on previous evidence of what Mr Berry has said, that it is most unlikely that the facts as presented by Mr Berry are, in fact, true. The case he has presented is in some way exaggerated or misrepresented. The use of powerful drugs to relieve pain is, of course, a common case in the ACT public hospital system.
Mr Berry: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: I ask that the Minister withdraw the accusation that I have misrepresented something.
Mr Duby: He never said that at all.
MR SPEAKER: I think he did, but in the context I think it was acceptable, Mr Berry. I do not think it was a direct challenge to you. It does not set a precedent. In the context in which it was used, I think it was acceptable. Mr Humphries, please proceed.
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