Page 136 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 16 February 2011
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Yesterday in question time they tried to divert the attention of the media and cause a rift in the VMOs Association by questioning how many people are actually of that view. Yesterday Ms Gallagher said there were only five or so doctors in Canberra that are upset with her performance. Only five or so? Her extreme arrogance is disgraceful and it is users of Canberra’s health services who suffer because of her unwillingness to face the facts.
There is a whole host of reasons why the president of the ACT VMOs might come to the view he did. Perhaps it is a fact highlighted in the Auditor-General’s report, including:
… the median wait was 75 days in the ACT (the Australian median was 34 days) …
… the median waiting time for Categories 2 and 3 patients on waiting lists were both increased from the previous year.
And:
Analysis of the waiting lists of four specialities selected for review and of selected surgeons for these specialties indicated that the estimated waiting times for all patients, except the majority of Category 1 patients, would continue to be well beyond the recommended timeframe and target set by ACT Health and, where relevant, the Commonwealth Government for each category.
These issues are real and are a concern to the people of my electorate, Ginninderra, the rest of Canberra and the many thousands of people outside the territory that depend on our health services and our health minister. When it comes down to it, her record is very clear: demand for elective surgery and medical treatment has grown rapidly over recent years, there has been an increase in the number of elective surgeries in 2010-11, comparable to the same period, outpatient services have grown by 23 per cent over the three years to 2009-10 and demand for emergency surgery has increased by 18.4 per cent.
Given all these facts, what has she actually done to address these problems? What actual or tangible differences have been made on the ground to address these concerns over the five years? I support Mr Hanson’s motion and call upon the Chief Minister to put someone in the role of health minister who will take the portfolio seriously, who will take responsibility for the issues and challenges and who will deliver to taxpayers the services they deserve.
MS LE COUTEUR (Molonglo) (11.14): I am particularly interested in speaking in this debate today because, unfortunately, I spent quite a lot of January doing what could be described as action research in the emergency ward of Calvary hospital. The significant men in my life, my father and my partner, both spent time in that institution, so I feel, more than usually, inspired to talk about it. My father, who obviously is an elderly gentleman, basically ended up in hospital because of an inability to get a specialist appointment in time. We were trying in November and the earliest specialist appointment we could get was in February. He ended up being
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