Page 5689 - Week 14 - Tuesday, 6 December 2011
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MR SESELJA: Minister, according to the report, the median waiting time for Canberrans in the emergency department is 40 minutes and in New South Wales it is 19. Are you responsible for Canberrans waiting twice as long as New South Wales residents?
MS GALLAGHER: Again, going on the discussion that we have just had, I do take responsibility for all aspects of the ACT public hospital system. But I would also draw to members’ attention the fact that the ACT, unlike New South Wales, does not have small country hospitals which may have only one or two presentations or a handful of presentations to their emergency departments each day. That actually improves their average waiting time.
I know Mr Smyth understands that. I know, indeed, that all of them over there understand that. A jurisdiction like the ACT, where both of our hospitals are incredibly busy, where Calvary hospital this year alone has seen increases in the order of seven per cent in its presentations every day, are actually improving their timeliness. That is what we are seeing. The latest result at Canberra hospital is absolutely astounding and shows a significant improvement in waiting times.
Mr Hanson: That’s not true.
MS GALLAGHER: It is true, Mr Hanson. As much as you do not want to believe it, both emergency departments are improving their timeliness in the latest data that I have seen, despite Calvary having a seven per cent increase in their presentations and Canberra having an increase in the order of three per cent.
A lot of work is being done to continue to improve it, but the ACT will never, I think, be able to compete on a national data set where there are small hospitals which allow larger jurisdictions to improve their performance. Go and have a look at WA. It just makes my point. It is all there; it is on their website. You can see the country and regional EDs and, when measured against the metro, it shows the difference that exists in ED performance.
MR HANSON: Supplementary, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mr Hanson.
MR HANSON: Minister, our health staff are dedicated and committed. Why are they not provided with adequate support to ensure that they can achieve best health performance measures in the country?
MS GALLAGHER: They are.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mr Hargreaves.
MR HARGREAVES: Thanks very much, Mr Speaker. Through you, to the Chief Minister: acknowledging that on a daily basis the emergency department—
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