Page 1182 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 24 June 1992
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Health Services Complaints Unit
MRS GRASSBY: My question is to the Deputy Chief Minister in his capacity as Minister for Health. When is the Minister going to meet his election commitment to establish an independent complaints unit?
MR BERRY: Thank you, Mrs Grassby, for the question. I am personally committed to the establishment of a health services complaints unit. I have asked my department to develop a proposal for a health complaints unit that will provide support and advocacy services while resolving problems through conciliation. Some perceptions of complaints units arrive at the point where it becomes an adversarial model. I personally favour a conciliatory model because it has to be a model that earns the ownership of both those who are complained about and those who make the complaints. The unit will accept complaints from all users of health systems, not just from the clients of the Board of Health. That is one of the flaws in the complaints system which exists within the health system at the moment. There is no facility to deal with complaints from the private sector.
I am keen that members of the community have an opportunity to comment on this proposal. It may be controversial for some sectors of the community and we are keen to get as much input as possible. I am confident that we can establish a mechanism, with goodwill. If people are serious about improving the levels of service - not being defensive about the levels of service that they provide, but improving the levels of service - and guaranteeing to the community a legitimate avenue of complaint and resolution, then I am sure that they will support the model which I propose. It is a model which is aimed at enhancing the level of service provided to the community, of course, and also enhancing the image of health professions and institutions. It is, as I have said, based on a conciliatory model and I think that feature will be most welcomed by people who will be affected by it from one side or the other.
I intend to have a discussion paper ready for distribution for public comment shortly, and from that point we can work forward, after we have consulted with the community. I have a personal commitment to it. We made an election promise. We will develop it in consultation with the community, and it will be a conciliatory model which will earn the respect of the community and the professions.
Revenue Increases
MR DE DOMENICO: My question without notice is to the Chief Minister. I refer the Chief Minister to various comments she has made about inflation at various times over the past two or three weeks. What is the projected inflation rate for the ACT? How does the Government come to that inflation rate? Why have the rates and charges that she announced yesterday not been increased in line with the CPI?
MS FOLLETT: The inflation figure that is being used is 3 per cent. That has been arrived at by my Treasury after very careful consideration of all the factors and also consideration of the inflation rate that is being used in other States. So 3 per cent is the figure.
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