Skip to main content
Home
  • The Legislative Assembly meets on 16/04/2024 (01:00 PM)
    Assembly sit 16/04/2024
  • The Legislative Council meets on 16/04/2024 (01:00 PM)
    Council sit 16/04/2024
  • The Public Administration meets on 08/04/2024 (10:00 AM)
    Committee meet 08/04/2024

Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 355 asked in the Legislative Council on 10 May 2022 by Hon Dr Brian Walker

Parliament: 41 Session: 1

ST JOHN AMBULANCE — SERVICE DELIVERY

355. Hon Dr BRIAN WALKER to the Leader of the House representing the Minister for Health:

I refer the minister to a report in yesterday's online edition of The West Australian noting the unprecedented warning of ambulance delays issued by St John Ambulance WA.

(1) Were either the minister or her department consulted before this warning was issued?

(2) What plans, if any, does the government have to tackle an issue that threatens, to paraphrase the article in The West Australian, to push our state's health system to breaking point?

Hon SUE ELLERY replied:

I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question.

(1) The minister's office and the department were informed of St John Ambulance's decision to issue a warning shortly before it was distributed.

(2) The Premier and Minister for Health recently announced 17 measures to address ambulance ramping as part of a $252 million budget package. These reforms include —

(a) $74.1 million to secure more appropriate forms of care for long-stay hospital patients;

(b) $55.2 million for telehealth services, which provide patient care for people who do not need emergency department support, and reduces emergency department presentations;

(c) the establishment of a ministerial task force to oversee short and long-term solutions, such as the establishment of a state health operations command centre; and

(d) an $18.2 million investment in real-time data capability needed to manage system pressures and improve the flow of patients through emergency departments.

This is on top of existing measures already being undertaken, such as adding 530 beds to the hospital system, the construction of mental health transition units and record funding into our health and mental health systems.