Ms ANDERSON - 2007-04-17
Under this government, resourcing and staffing at Alice Springs Hospital has been significantly increased. During the last election campaign, this government committed to build on and upgrade the Emergency Department at Alice Springs Hospital. Can the minister please inform the House how the government is meeting its commitment to the people of Alice Springs?
Madam SPEAKER: Just as the minister is coming to the Dispatch Box, I ask visitors to please turn off their mobile phones. Two have just gone off. They affect the recording of the Hansard which is going up to Darwin to be recorded, and make it very difficult for those listening .
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Macdonnell for her question. Alice Springs Hospital is an important part of service delivery for health within the whole of the Central Australian region. Before I answer the question specifically, I pay compliment to my predecessor, Peter Toyne, who did a fantastic job as Health Minister. It is a very difficult portfolio. Some call it the poisoned chalice. Peter really did a lot to resource health in general throughout the Territory but, specifically, in Alice Springs.
Since 2001, there has been approximately 60% extra funding into Alice Springs Hospital under this government, and staffing levels have increased by over 20%. Those are very important statistics. The announcement I made yesterday of $6m for a new Emergency Department builds on that investment made by this government in Alice Springs Hospital. It is a very busy hospital. There is somewhere around 30 000 presentations into that hospital per year, which makes it one of the busiest of its size in the country. There is growth, year-on-year, of about 10% in presentations at Alice Springs Hospital.
The new $6m Emergency Department will be a stand-alone facility, so it will not interfere with the very busy operations of the current Emergency Department. It will feature a number of things: it will have extra cubicles; there will be areas where flow can be increased, where people can be set aside; it will reduce patient crowding in the Emergency Department; it will improve patient flow and reduce waiting times; importantly, it will ensure both patient and staff safety; and it will have a fast-track area and a short-stay unit. It is very important to note that it is $6m within the upcoming 2007-08 budget. I am advised that it will go to tender before the end of this calendar year, and I expect that it will be built within the 2008 calendar year.
This builds on our previous work. We have an outstanding election commitment of 24 extra beds for Alice Springs Hospital. I place on the record today that we will stand by that commitment.
Madam SPEAKER: Just as the minister is coming to the Dispatch Box, I ask visitors to please turn off their mobile phones. Two have just gone off. They affect the recording of the Hansard which is going up to Darwin to be recorded, and make it very difficult for those listening .
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Macdonnell for her question. Alice Springs Hospital is an important part of service delivery for health within the whole of the Central Australian region. Before I answer the question specifically, I pay compliment to my predecessor, Peter Toyne, who did a fantastic job as Health Minister. It is a very difficult portfolio. Some call it the poisoned chalice. Peter really did a lot to resource health in general throughout the Territory but, specifically, in Alice Springs.
Since 2001, there has been approximately 60% extra funding into Alice Springs Hospital under this government, and staffing levels have increased by over 20%. Those are very important statistics. The announcement I made yesterday of $6m for a new Emergency Department builds on that investment made by this government in Alice Springs Hospital. It is a very busy hospital. There is somewhere around 30 000 presentations into that hospital per year, which makes it one of the busiest of its size in the country. There is growth, year-on-year, of about 10% in presentations at Alice Springs Hospital.
The new $6m Emergency Department will be a stand-alone facility, so it will not interfere with the very busy operations of the current Emergency Department. It will feature a number of things: it will have extra cubicles; there will be areas where flow can be increased, where people can be set aside; it will reduce patient crowding in the Emergency Department; it will improve patient flow and reduce waiting times; importantly, it will ensure both patient and staff safety; and it will have a fast-track area and a short-stay unit. It is very important to note that it is $6m within the upcoming 2007-08 budget. I am advised that it will go to tender before the end of this calendar year, and I expect that it will be built within the 2008 calendar year.
This builds on our previous work. We have an outstanding election commitment of 24 extra beds for Alice Springs Hospital. I place on the record today that we will stand by that commitment.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016