❓ Ms Mettam questions the Minister for Health regarding operating theatre closures at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital as part of the winter health strategy, specifically regarding cancelled elective surgeries and potential future closures. The Minister's response outlines the winter strategy's funding and initiatives but doesn't directly answer the questions.
AnsweredQoN 263Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Winter strategy—Operating theatre closures
263. Ms Libby Mettam to
the Minister for Health:
I refer to the
operating theatre closures at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital to free up beds as
part of the winter health strategy.
(1) How many elective surgeries have been
cancelled or deferred so far because of these closures?
(2) Will other operating theatres be either
closed or subject to reduced activities as part of the winter strategy?
263. Ms Libby Mettam to
the Minister for Health:
I refer to the
operating theatre closures at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital to free up beds as
part of the winter health strategy.
(1) How many elective surgeries have been
cancelled or deferred so far because of these closures?
(2) Will other operating theatres be either
closed or subject to reduced activities as part of the winter strategy?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I thank the member for the question. I
think we have been really clear. We put out a winter strategy earlier this year
with $140 million worth of funding that plans to ensure that we are
prepared as we approach the winter months. We have
been very clear. Last year we saw unprecedented demand on our hospitals. It was
a very bad flu season, but we are also seeing an increasing number of older
Western Australians present to our hospitals, or be in our hospitals when they
are cleared for discharge but are not able to access residential aged care. We are
experiencing unprecedented demand on our health system. We were very clear
ahead of this coming winter that we would improve preparedness and do a range
of things to increase capacity. There is $140 million in the plan that we
published, and of that, some $61 million was for additional bed capacity.
Some of those beds are contracted in the private sector at hospitals like Glengarry
and Waikiki Private Hospitals, and some are for additional capacity for
elective surgery. It is the equivalent of 100 additional beds as
additional capacity for elective surgery over our winter months.
The winter plan included a range
of other things like flu vaccinations and Time to Think beds. It includes a whole
range of workforce preparedness measures as well because we take this issue
seriously. As I have said a number of times, we take this issue about capacity
seriously. That is why the state budget has $9.1 billion for health, $140 million
for planning for the winter and $5.5 billion across the forward estimates
for infrastructure. I have always been clear that we will keep looking at what more
we can do to ensure that we are delivering care to the people of Western
Australia so that people can access the care they need when they need it and
prioritise those people with the most urgent needs first.
think we have been really clear. We put out a winter strategy earlier this year
with $140 million worth of funding that plans to ensure that we are
prepared as we approach the winter months. We have
been very clear. Last year we saw unprecedented demand on our hospitals. It was
a very bad flu season, but we are also seeing an increasing number of older
Western Australians present to our hospitals, or be in our hospitals when they
are cleared for discharge but are not able to access residential aged care. We are
experiencing unprecedented demand on our health system. We were very clear
ahead of this coming winter that we would improve preparedness and do a range
of things to increase capacity. There is $140 million in the plan that we
published, and of that, some $61 million was for additional bed capacity.
Some of those beds are contracted in the private sector at hospitals like Glengarry
and Waikiki Private Hospitals, and some are for additional capacity for
elective surgery. It is the equivalent of 100 additional beds as
additional capacity for elective surgery over our winter months.
The winter plan included a range
of other things like flu vaccinations and Time to Think beds. It includes a whole
range of workforce preparedness measures as well because we take this issue
seriously. As I have said a number of times, we take this issue about capacity
seriously. That is why the state budget has $9.1 billion for health, $140 million
for planning for the winter and $5.5 billion across the forward estimates
for infrastructure. I have always been clear that we will keep looking at what more
we can do to ensure that we are delivering care to the people of Western
Australia so that people can access the care they need when they need it and
prioritise those people with the most urgent needs first.
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