Page 1337 - Week 05 - Thursday, 18 June 2020

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operating theatres for SPIRE will be operating at full capacity as soon as it opens. Does the SPIRE project contain enough operating theatres to cater for Canberra’s growth in population?

MS STEPHEN-SMITH: Yes.

MR WALL: Why hasn’t the government consulted all surgeons about the capacity of the SPIRE project?

MS STEPHEN-SMITH: I thank Mr Wall for the supplementary question as well as the original question. I note that the information that was drawn on by the Canberra Times from the freedom of information request actually came from a workshop with clinicians at Canberra Hospital to talk about the SPIRE project. So your accusation is that there is not enough consultation, but you draw from the outcomes of a workshop with clinicians to specifically talk about the SPIRE project. The modelling that Mr Wall referred to was modelling that had been done by one of the doctors that was involved in that workshop. The people who were previously involved in that conversation now have a much higher level of confidence around the fact that SPIRE will deliver what is required for the community.

When Mr Wall talks about the engagement with stakeholders and clinicians, there are 10 specialised user groups in the clinical space to inform the early planning and design of this new facility—the biggest investment in health infrastructure since self-government. The user groups consist of approximately 120 clinicians, support staff and consumer representatives. They provide advice and input into the following key aspects of the project’s planning: the emergency department, the surgical inpatient unit, the intensive care unit, medical imaging, the mental health short-stay unit, the perioperative and interventional suite, the loading dock and logistics, the helipad and retrieval service, the acute cardiac care unit and interventional cardiac laboratories, and the central sterilising services.

In terms of consulting every surgeon and every staff member across Canberra Hospital, in fact, those face-to-face consultations and information sessions had commenced prior to COVID-19, with stalls in various parts— (Time expired).

MRS KIKKERT: Minister, to what extent will the lack of theatres and beds constrain the ability of the Canberra Hospital to conduct elective surgery to reduce waiting times?

MS STEPHEN-SMITH: I reject the premise of Mrs Kikkert’s supplementary question.

Environment—Mugga Lane tip

MS LAWDER: My question is to the Chief Minister. Chief Minister, recently complaints have been made by residents regarding the smell from the Mugga Lane Resource Management Centre. Ministers Steel, Ramsay and Gentleman have all been pointing fingers at one another regarding who is responsible for dealing with this. Chief Minister, can you advise, under the administrative orders, exactly which


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