Costing Northern Territory Health Services
WRITTEN QUESTIONS
8th Assembly
27. Costing Northern Territory Health Services
Mr Toyne to MINISTER for Health Family and Childrens Services
QUESTIONCosting Northern Territory Health Services
1. What are the details of overtime costs for nurses and medical officers at Royal Darwin Hospital.
2. Does the Government plan to move the child care industry to self-regulation in the long run.
3. What was the effect of the agreement for doctors salaries signed with the A. M. A. in 1995/96.
(a) What were the implications for the budget.
(b) Which hospitals received additional medical staff, and what was the number of staff in each case.
4. Has there been any improvement in specialists visits to Katherine Hospital since 1995/96. If so what improvements have been made.
5. How many clients are there currently in Banyan House
6 Will the Minister make publicly available the three national output and clinical costing studies.
ANSWERAnswered on 20/01/98
H:\TEMPLATE\QUEST_W.DOT
1. Nursing staff (including enrolled nurses and nursing staff at Mental Health Services) $46,913
Medical Officers (including Mental Health) $694,618
2. No. Standards in child care centres will continue to be regulated as they are now. The NT Government is committed to ensuring that child care services meet minimum recognised quality standards and is working closely with the children’s services industry to implement standards in child care centres, homebased care, and outside school hours care services.
3. (a) The 1996/97 Medical Officers’ Agreement resulted in a 3% salary increase from 1 July 1996 followed by a further 4% salary increase from 1 July 1997.
(b) The Agreement did not increase the number of medical officers employed in Territory Health Services.
4. There have been improvements in a number of areas. There are now 3 visiting General Surgeons with approximately 5 extra consulting sessions and theatre lists per year. An Anaesthetist visits on average 6 times per year to assist with technically difficult operating lists and to up-skill staff.
Medical and Paediatric visits are still adequate for the demand levels and the commencement of a Specialist Cardiologist at Royal Darwin Hospital will mean greater frequency and duration of visits. There are now at least 6 Pathologist visits per year to assist with supervision and accreditation of the Pathology Laboratory and for teaching for medical staff.
The frequency of ENT visits to Katherine will be increased in the new year due to the appointment of the new ENT Specialist at RDH and a full time Specialist and Registrar working with the Aboriginal Eye Health program will mean a much greater frequency of consultations and operations at Katherine Hospital.
The level of Gynaecology visits is unchanged and is satisfactory for needs. The level of Orthopaedic visits remains unchanged.
5. There are currently twelve (12) clients resident in Banyan House.
6. The three documents were published by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Family Services and are available through the Government Publications Office.
The documents are also available for perusal from Territory Health Services.
Last updated: 04 Aug 2016