Mrs HICKEY - 1994-08-24
The Auditor-General's report that was tabled yesterday stated that one doctor in Alice Springs had worked an average of 18 hours per day and, on one day, had worked 20 hours
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continuously. The Auditor-General stated that the hours worked by doctors would horrify many others. The Director of Medical Services at Alice Springs Hospital said that additional staff positions were not available to reduce this overload. The Auditor-General's report confirms opposition concerns that understaffing has the potential to lower efficiency and increase liability risk. The Auditor-General states also that, in many cases, the hospital had no record of doctors' contracts and that, in other cases, the contracts were out of date. What action, if any, has the minister taken to increase the medical staffing levels and the signing of up-to-date employment contracts at Alice Springs Hospital?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, members would know, and probably the member for Barkly would know better than most because she has been told on many occasions in this House, that the Auditor-General's report is taken seriously. Matters that are drawn to the department's attention, such as those to which she has just alluded ...
Mr Bailey: Didn't they know about it before that?
Mr REED: ... will be pursued by the department. It will come as no surprise to her that, on occasions, doctors work extremely long hours, as do other staff. I have explained to her in this Assembly and in other forums the difficulties involved with trying to overcome those problems. There is really nothing new in the advice that the Auditor-General has put forward in the report apart from the particular matters that the honourable member referred to in respect of contracts and the like. No doubt, the department is pursuing those, perhaps indeed at this very moment. Such matters are taken seriously and that is why they are drawn to our attention. That is a very important role of the Auditor-General. I am sure that everything will be done to overcome the particular problems.
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continuously. The Auditor-General stated that the hours worked by doctors would horrify many others. The Director of Medical Services at Alice Springs Hospital said that additional staff positions were not available to reduce this overload. The Auditor-General's report confirms opposition concerns that understaffing has the potential to lower efficiency and increase liability risk. The Auditor-General states also that, in many cases, the hospital had no record of doctors' contracts and that, in other cases, the contracts were out of date. What action, if any, has the minister taken to increase the medical staffing levels and the signing of up-to-date employment contracts at Alice Springs Hospital?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, members would know, and probably the member for Barkly would know better than most because she has been told on many occasions in this House, that the Auditor-General's report is taken seriously. Matters that are drawn to the department's attention, such as those to which she has just alluded ...
Mr Bailey: Didn't they know about it before that?
Mr REED: ... will be pursued by the department. It will come as no surprise to her that, on occasions, doctors work extremely long hours, as do other staff. I have explained to her in this Assembly and in other forums the difficulties involved with trying to overcome those problems. There is really nothing new in the advice that the Auditor-General has put forward in the report apart from the particular matters that the honourable member referred to in respect of contracts and the like. No doubt, the department is pursuing those, perhaps indeed at this very moment. Such matters are taken seriously and that is why they are drawn to our attention. That is a very important role of the Auditor-General. I am sure that everything will be done to overcome the particular problems.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016