Mr STIRLING - 1999-10-19
I refer to the report tabled earlier and I quote, under the heading ‘Equipment’:
Currently most items are worn and tired and there seems to be no formal depreciation and replacement process. I feel the following are urgently needed: Oxylog ventilator, spirometry equipment (Vitalograph), CPAP machine, further multifunction monitors …
Dr Lim: Do you understand what you’re talking about?
Mr STIRLING: Well, I hoped you would, with your background.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for Nhulunbuy has the floor.
Mr STIRLING: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I don’t hear any government members getting any warnings, particularly the member up the back.
… there are many monitors that seem to be on their last legs - nitrous oxide delivery system/flow meter, better patient trolleys.
Some cubicles don’t even have wall oxygen. Minister, these items are basic standard equipment in most accident and emergency departments the size of Royal Darwin and assist in the diagnosis and stabilisation of patients. Why have you run down the hospital so badly that staff and patients are exposed to outdated and archaic equipment? When will the emergency department get this much-needed equipment?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the report as I said is circa February. I can assure members that Dr Green had direct access to the medical superintendent and the hospital manager, and that many of those issues that were of critical concern would have been addressed prior to the budget.
The allegation is that some of these pieces of equipment are so essential that people’s lives are being put at risk. I dispute that. I will say again, this business about running down our hospitals is a patent lie. I am quite happy to parade our policy against the best Labor policy we could find, which is what they took to the last election. We hoped they would have some others developed by this time, particularly for those issues that they think are important, those issues where they think Territorians really should be informed.
Currently most items are worn and tired and there seems to be no formal depreciation and replacement process. I feel the following are urgently needed: Oxylog ventilator, spirometry equipment (Vitalograph), CPAP machine, further multifunction monitors …
Dr Lim: Do you understand what you’re talking about?
Mr STIRLING: Well, I hoped you would, with your background.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member for Nhulunbuy has the floor.
Mr STIRLING: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I don’t hear any government members getting any warnings, particularly the member up the back.
… there are many monitors that seem to be on their last legs - nitrous oxide delivery system/flow meter, better patient trolleys.
Some cubicles don’t even have wall oxygen. Minister, these items are basic standard equipment in most accident and emergency departments the size of Royal Darwin and assist in the diagnosis and stabilisation of patients. Why have you run down the hospital so badly that staff and patients are exposed to outdated and archaic equipment? When will the emergency department get this much-needed equipment?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the report as I said is circa February. I can assure members that Dr Green had direct access to the medical superintendent and the hospital manager, and that many of those issues that were of critical concern would have been addressed prior to the budget.
The allegation is that some of these pieces of equipment are so essential that people’s lives are being put at risk. I dispute that. I will say again, this business about running down our hospitals is a patent lie. I am quite happy to parade our policy against the best Labor policy we could find, which is what they took to the last election. We hoped they would have some others developed by this time, particularly for those issues that they think are important, those issues where they think Territorians really should be informed.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016