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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 261 asked in the Legislative Assembly on 22 June 2021 by Ms L. Mettam

Parliament: 41 Session: 1

HOSPITALS — EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS — PRESENTATIONS

261. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Health:

I refer to the minister's comments in this place that attendances at Perth hospitals in the first half of 2021 had increased 13 per cent compared with the situation last year. Why does the minister continue to mislead the public about the true state of our emergency departments when the number of attendances in May 2021 was only 2.46 per cent above the May 2019 level and in line with population growth over the same period?

Mr R.H. COOK replied:

I thank the member for the question. The member is probably correct about the universal numbers. In categories 4 and 5 we have not had a significant increase in the number of patients coming to our emergency departments, but with category 2, for instance, we have had a significant increase. In fact, I think the number for category 2 is around 13 per cent. So far this financial year we have experienced about 1 500 more mental health presentations to our metropolitan hospitals than at the same time last year. As we know, the thing that really impacts on the efficiency of an emergency department is the beds that sit behind those emergency departments, which make them capable of getting patient flow so we can get people moving through the EDs smoothly. The significant increase in the number of these sorts of patients increases the length of the episode of care. That has had a significant impact on the demand on, and workload of, our EDs. As a result, we are trying to increase the number of beds we have available in the overall health system. As I have reported in this place before, 158 new beds will be opened as a result of our resourcing efforts to meet demand pressures. As of today, 101 of those beds have been brought onstream, with the final of the 158 to be brought onstream in August. But, of course, it is not just about beds; it is about the doctors, nurses and allied health workers who stand next to those beds. The government is undertaking a significant recruitment of nurses that will see an extra 600 nurses engaged over the next two years. That means 1 000 nurse graduate places this year and 1 000 nurse graduate places next year, which will produce significant input into the human resources that we now need in place.

The member for Vasse may like to stare at the numbers, but we can look at what is going on across health systems right across the country. Whether we go to an emergency department in Queensland, South Australia or Victoria, we will see a health system under significant stress. The member for Vasse might like to be in denial, but I am telling her what the doctors, nurses and allied health workers right across WA have told me, and that is our system is under significant pressure at the moment. A range of things contribute to that. It is that post-COVID period, with people coming to the hospital for a range of potential conditions that were left unaddressed during the COVID-19 period. It could be the level of anxiety that has produced a high level of mental health incidents in our community or that the overall disease burden in our community has increased. It could be the result of eating disorders, and we have seen an over 80 per cent increase in children coming forward with eating disorders since 2020. These figures are undeniable. The member for Vasse might be in denial of what is going on in our health system at the moment, but we are working closely with the Australian Medical Association, the Australian Nursing Federation, the Health Services Union, the United Workers Union and the Community and Public Sector Union–Civil Service Association of WA to make sure that we bring the resources to bear to ensure that we have the doctors, nurses and beds that we need to respond to this surge in demand.