Health—Regions
203. Mr Kevin Michelto theMinister for Health:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's record investment in Western Australia's public health system. Can the minister outline to the house how this government is ensuring that regional Western Australians have access to quality health care, regardless of where they live?
Ms Meredith Hammat replied:
I thank the member for the question. It was great to be with him up in Karratha and Roebourne just last week, seeing some of the incredible work that our WA Country Health Service (WACHS) is doing there. As the member will appreciate, the WA Country Health Service is the largest geographical health jurisdiction in the world; it covers 2.5 million square kilometres, from Kununurra to Esperance, and has over 800 sites across the state, so it is an incredibly large jurisdiction. To deliver that world-class care across such as large system, we have to be innovative, as the member knows. I am really proud that WACHS has been leading the nation in the delivery of health services. Whether it is emergency care, mental health or end-of-life care, no matter where you live, you can now have access to specialist supports. That is in relation to the telehealth services that we are delivering, which allow people to access those services, no matter where they live.
Sometimes patients need hands-on support, and that is why we have delivered a range of initiatives to boost our workforce in the regions. We are delivering the country nurse and midwife incentives scheme and the regional rapid deployment program to get clinicians, nurses and midwives to the places where they are needed most. We have the HECS-HELP scheme for nurses and midwives as well. Despite this, some patients will still need to travel to access the treatment that they need. That is why we have committed to increasing the Patient Assisted Travel Scheme fuel subsidy—or the PATS fuel subsidy as it is known—to 40c per kilometre. It took a Labor government to deliver increases in PATS, and we are incredibly proud of that. At 40c per kilometre, it will be the highest in the nation and we are incredibly proud of the work that we are doing in this area. That is because people who live in the vastest state in the nation should get the support they—
Mr Shane Love interjected.
Ms Meredith Hammat: That is because people living in the vastest state in the nation should get the best support that they need and deserve.
We are also delivering a major pipeline—
Mr Shane Love interjected.
Ms Meredith Hammat: The member is going to want to hear this, because we are also delivering a major pipeline of regional infrastructure upgrades, led by the minister—
Mr Shane Love interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the National Party!
Ms Meredith Hammat: We are delivering a major pipeline of regional infrastructure upgrades, led by the Minister for Health Infrastructure, including the Geraldton Health Campus redevelopment and the Bunbury Hospital redevelopment. We have a commitment to deliver a 30-bed modular ward at Albany Health Campus as well. We are really proud of the work that we are doing to deliver health care into our regions Whether it is telehealth, encouraging the workforce that we need to take up positions to live and work in the regions, delivering an increase to the Patient Assistance Travel Scheme fuel subsidy, or delivering a major pipeline of health infrastructure, we are delivering a significant amount of work to deliver health care to people who live in regional Western Australia.
