HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE — MORALE
857. Hon Dr BRIAN WALKER to the minister representing the
Minister for Health:
I refer the minister to a recent
Australian Medical Association staff survey undertaken here in Western Australia
and publicised on the ABC's website on 28 September, which concluded
that there was ''damning and disturbing evidence'' of poor morale
across the WA health system and of doctors feeling victimised.
(1) Does the
minister concede that evidence shows those hospitals with fewer short-term
contracts for doctors tend to have the highest levels of low morale?
(2) Is the
minister concerned that Rockingham General Hospital, which services his
electorate as well as that of the Premier, was amongst those hospitals said to
have the lowest staff morale ratings?
(3) Given that
the AMA has stated publicly, ''It's great having new buildings,
just not so great having a demoralised workforce'', will the minister
commit to funding more long-term contracts for doctors going forward?
Hon STEPHEN DAWSON
replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question. The following answer is provided on behalf of the
Minister for Health.
(1)–(2) I
draw the honourable member's attention to standing order 105(1)(b),
which states that questions shall ''not seek an opinion or a legal
interpretation or opinion''.
(3) The industrial agreement covering medical
practitioners currently provides for senior medical practitioners to be employed under fixed-term contracts of five
years' duration. The WA Department of Health is currently renegotiating
a replacement medical practitioners' industrial agreement with the Western
Australian branch of the AMA. Discussions are continuing under the auspices of
the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission.