SIR CHARLES GAIRDNER
HOSPITAL — CODE BLACK DECLARATION
837. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Health:
I have a supplementary question.
Why did the North Metropolitan Health Service confirm that it was a code black,
and how do these ongoing capacity issues at our hospitals fit in with the
minister's promise 20 months ago to be battle-ready for COVID?
Mr R.H. COOK replied:
At all stages of the COVID-19
pandemic our hospitals have served the Western Australian community well and we
are proud of their efforts. At any particular time in an outbreak, all our
hospitals have responded, whether it was
bringing people off ships when they were stricken with the disease or looking
after people in our hotel quarantine facilities. At any point in time,
our health teams have done an outstanding job in making sure that people are
made safe. In my previous answer, which the member for Vasse clearly did not
listen to, I said we were significantly increasing the capacity of our hospital
system, and that is a hospital system that will be well and truly armed for any
surge in demand as a result of COVID-19. In the meantime, they are dealing with
constrained workforce and an increase in
demand, as opposed to deferred care in 2020, and the acuity associated with the
post-pandemic period. They are doing an extraordinary job and this
government is investing heavily in a hospital system to make sure hospitals can
have the resources they need to continue to do outstanding work.