HEDLAND HEALTH CAMPUS — STAFF
705. Hon NEIL THOMSON to the minister representing the
Minister for Health:
I refer to the recent staff protest over unsafe working
conditions at the Hedland Health Campus and the Minister for Health's
response in the Legislative Assembly last month, which I quote —
This is an issue for the WA
Country Health Service to sort out and I understand it is on top of it.
(1) Have there
been any meetings with the staff and the WA Country Health Service in response
to the protests and —
(a) if yes, have these meetings included all staff,
including contract staff, clinical and non-clinical staff; and
(b) on what
dates did those meetings occur?
(2) How many
vacancies exist in the Port Hedland hospital, separately, clinical and
non-clinical vacancies?
(3) Is there a problem with high rates of personal leave due
to stress at the Port Hedland hospital?
(4) Have any additional staff been employed since the
protest to address concerns of the staff shortages and —
(a) if yes, how
many FTEs, clinical and non-clinical?
(5) Is WorkSafe Western Australia inquiring into or
investigating workplace practices at the health campus and —
(a) if yes, what
is the nature of that inquiry or investigation?
(6) Have any personnel at the hospital been redeployed
away from the hospital or disciplined as a result of any inquiries or
investigations?
The PRESIDENT: Honourable
member, that was a significantly long question. I will invite the minister to
attempt to reply and hope that his reply is brief.
Hon
STEPHEN DAWSON replied:
Thank
you, President, and I thank the honourable member for some notice of the
question. You are correct. This is a 10-part question, so it is not
possible to provide the information in the time required and, therefore, on
behalf of the Minister for Health, I ask the honourable member to place the
question on notice.