Page 177 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 15 February 2012
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sure that our workforce overall across the public service does not increase but that we have room in order to grow our health workforce and other areas of growth within the ACT public service where we want to see those key services delivered.
MS PORTER: A supplementary.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Ms Porter.
MS PORTER: Minister, can you advise the Assembly about additional training support programs and the areas in which the workforce is being upgraded?
MS GALLAGHER: This is a very exciting area in health, not just in the ACT but across the country. As members would know, Health Workforce Australia was established by all governments in order to do the very detailed planning and responses that would be needed as the health system across the country grows. Never before did we have a dedicated agency to provide that level of detail.
Last week I met with the Health Workforce Australia chief executive and the chair of the board to discuss priorities and the presentations that they will be making to health ministers in March about workforce plans, workforce training, clinical training and also their estimates of workforce shortage or areas where workforce and training actually met demand.
We have also, of course, our very successful graduate program for nurses where there is a 12-month structured syllabus that incorporates up to three rotations within clinical placements in acute medical and surgical wards, community nursing, alcohol and drug nursing, mental health, oncology, aged care, rehabilitation and ambulatory care. Last year I visited the presentation day where graduate nurses are able to travel through the different areas within the hospital and get presentations. It was a very competitive environment where you have glamour areas like the emergency department and intensive care up against some of the less glamorous in the presentational sense but important areas of nursing. It was fantastic to see the staff in those areas really excited and recruiting those graduate students to be part of their clinical placement.
We have also got a very sophisticated junior doctor program in place which supports new doctors and junior doctors entering. Of course, many of those graduates are now home grown. (Time expired.)
MS BRESNAN: A supplementary.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Ms Bresnan.
MS BRESNAN: Minister, are you committed to resolving collaborative issues so that private midwives and women in Canberra can access the relevant Medicare rebates?
MS GALLAGHER: This is a new area for Health, and one which I have taken an interest in, and I acknowledge Ms Bresnan’s interest as well. I have looked at the Queensland model, where it has been successful. We are in the process now of discussing with our clinicians a way forward and seeking their views about whether
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