Page 2374 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 29 August 2007
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In response to a Committee request about the Minister’s overarching vision for mental health services delivered in the ACT, the Minister advised:
…. my view about mental health would be a co-ordinated, community-based approach to managing people with a mental illness with appropriate clinical and acute supports in place, should that be required. I think there is agreement around that …
If I had to sum it up, that would be my view in a nutshell—that we manage people’s mental wellness in the community with appropriate community supports and providers. People recover in the community. That is where they live: in the community. It is only certain periods of time when most people need to access more acute types of supports and services. That is the system that we are well on target to putting in place. But I have to say that I would like to see some streamlining of services, particularly in the community sector. But, again, that is very hard to achieve.
Canberra provides medical services to a wide region. Over time there will, I hope, be better cooperation between New South Wales and the ACT and federal governments so that rationalisation of expenditures will maximise health outcomes for all residents. Indeed, there may be scope for specialisation amongst the hospitals in this region, and that is something that I hope the government explores in more cooperative discussions with other health authorities.
In the health sector, as in so many other jurisdictions, there is always a shortage of people with the skills and experience to perform all the functions needed to maintain a healthy health system, and we want a healthy health system. Affordable housing will be a major factor in attracting and keeping the health professionals we need and reinforcing the interconnectedness of all government services in health provision. (Second speaking period taken.)
As a bit of a codicil to that, I note that after the government removed pay parking from the hospital, the nurses and staff there are now complaining that the problem that the government, I am sure, hoped to avert by introducing pay parking has reappeared. That is that people who work in Woden are again taking advantage of what is now free parking at the hospital and getting a little bit of exercise walking to work as well. While the government might applaud those health outcomes, I do think we have a problem here and it probably needs to be tackled once again.
MR STEFANIAK (Ginninderra–Leader of the Opposition) (5.36): Mr Speaker, I will not be terribly long.
MR SPEAKER: About 10 minutes, I reckon.
MR STEFANIAK: No, I do not think it will be that long. Dr Foskey, who I understand got a bit of a savaging earlier from a couple of people, said one thing I liked in relation to ethical investment. She made a plea to the health minister to back up the sports minister in terms of sporting facilities. I think the sports minister needs all the backup he can get. I actually agree with that, Dr Foskey.
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