Emergency departments—Ambulance ramping
22. Ms Libby Mettam to the Minister for Health:
(1) At a time when the state government is spending record amounts on ghost trains, will the minister commit to securing the necessary funding in the June state budget needed to fix our overcrowded emergency departments and address the record levels of ambulance ramping?
(2) If so, when can we anticipate to see a reduction in the shocking ramping levels we have become accustomed to under the Cook Labor government?
Ms Meredith Hammat replied:
(1)–(2) Thank you, member, for the question. One of the things it is important to recognise when discussing the health portfolio is that we have put in an additional $14.3 billion into health since 2021. Therefore, the member has really made a false equivalence there. We are putting record amounts of money into our health system. We have put in 800 beds since 2021 and there are hundreds more in the pipeline to come. We have increased staffing by 30% since 2021. We have made a number of election commitments at this election that will take our plans even further forward, like the investments into upgrading the Royal Perth Hospital emergency department and upgrading Midland's emergency department. Therefore, our work is ongoing in the health portfolio. As I outlined yesterday, there is a focus on addressing issues associated with ramping. I explained that a number of factors are contributing to that: the ageing population, the fact that we have a record number of people moving to Western Australia and a significantly growing population—and the increase in complexity when people present at emergency departments—these are all things that are having an impact on ramping. We have a focus on this, which is why we are making investments right across the system that are going to make a difference. As I outlined yesterday, we are doing a range of things that will take our work under the former Minister for Health in this area even further.
I have talked about more beds. I have talked about upgrades we are doing to the emergency departments. We are also modernising the system through the WA Virtual Emergency Department. We have already put it in place. We have a commitment from this election to put another $36 million into that system, and I am very excited to see the work that we will do. We have put in place the State Health Operations Centre, a really important part of making our system run as a system. We are delivering more care in the community, through Hospital in the Home, and we are investing $140 million in election commitments into aged care. Therefore, there has been a significant amount of money going into the health system.
Several members interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Several members interjected.
The Speaker: Minister! Members! Premier! Leader of the Opposition!
Several members interjected.
The Speaker: Premier! Treasurer!
Members, when I stand, you stop talking. It does not matter what you are doing, you cease—okay? The minister is on her feet trying to respond to the question. Question time is drawing out again, and we will have to drag it back next time. If you are lucky, you might get one more question each. Carry on, minister.
Ms Meredith Hammat: Thank you, Mr Speaker.
As I was saying, we are doing a range of work not just focusing on emergency department, but clearly that is an important focus for us. As I said, we have put in $14.3 billion of new funding since 2021, 800 more beds with hundreds more coming and a 30% increase in staff with 4,400 more nurses and 1,800 more doctors. We are doing an incredible amount of work. I am really proud to be a part of a government that takes our commitment to the health of Western Australians seriously, and I am really looking forward to delivering outcomes for these people.
23. Ms Libby Mettam to the Minister for Health:
I have a supplementary question. In relation to results, is the minister committed to reducing ambulance ramping to pre-2017 levels?
Several members interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Several members interjected.
The Speaker: Order, opposition leader! Carry on, minister.
Ms Meredith Hammat replied:
We want to see a reduction in ramping; I think we have been very clear about that. One of the things in a system as big as the Western Australian health system is that it is not going to happen overnight. We have made investments. We are going further with the election commitments that we have made. There is more to do, and we are getting on with the job of delivering for the people of Western Australia.
