Page 1550 - Week 05 - Thursday, 7 May 2015

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(1) In 2010 was funding provided to the ACT Health Directorate to support health care in developing nations; if so, (a) how much funding was originally allocated, (b) how much was spent in 2010-2011, 2011-2012, 2012-2013 and 2014-2015 and (c) what projects received funding in those years.

(2) Did four Fijian nurses commence a placement on 20 September 2014 in the ACT under this program; if so, (a) how much did the Fijian program cost, (b) how many Fijians visited Canberra and for how long, (c) on what were the funds spent, (d) what was the selection process for the four Fijian nurses and (e) did any ACT public servants travel to Fiji as part of this program; if so, (i) who went to Fiji, (ii) when and for how long were they in Fiji, (iii) were they accompanied by staff of partners, (iv) what was the purpose of their visit to Fiji and (v) what was the total cost of this travel.

(3) What performance measures were used to judge the effectiveness of the Fiji program.

(4) How successful was the Fiji program.

(5) How much funding remains.

(6) What future programs are planned under this funding.

Mr Corbell: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:

(1) Yes.

(a) The total funding to this project in 2010 was $600,000 over four years and responsibility for this was given to the Nursing and Midwifery Office in 2011-2012. The Workforce Development in Developing Countries (Fiji) has been supported by the ACT Government and ACT Health since 2011. In consultation with the Neurosurgical team that provides periodic health care in Fiji, in particular Dr Kathir Nadachandran, it was decided that the first phase of the project be dedicated to assist in the skills development of nurses in Fiji.

(b) In 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 there was no expenditure from the allocated funds due to difficulties experienced in bringing the Fiji nurses to Australia. 2013-2014 financial year was the first time where there was expenditure of $2851 for a registered nurse’s salary to begin the development of the training program. In 2014-2015 ACT Health made an allocation of $104K and to date there has been $67,531.57 spent from the allocated funds.

(c) In consultation with the Canberra Hospital Neurosurgical team that provides periodic healthcare in Fiji, an offer was made to bring four nurses from Fiji to the ACT as visiting students not linked to a University program and not requiring registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia thereby avoiding the minimum IELTS requirements. A tailored education program was developed for the nurses to complete at Canberra Hospital in various specialty areas such as Intensive Care, Operating Rooms, Coronary Care, Infection Prevention and Control, Pain Management and the Neurosurgical Ward.

(2) Yes.

(a) The total cost for this first program was $67,531.57.


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