Health—Cost-cutting taskforce
389. Mr Liam Staltarito theMinister for Health:
I refer to the government's cost-cutting taskforce in health.
(1) Who is on the taskforce?
(2) Who does the taskforce report to?
(3) Will the minister guarantee that frontline services will not be affected?
Ms Meredith Hammat replied:
(1)–(3) I thank the member very much for the opportunity to respond. The work in health that has been ongoing for a period of time is really important work. It started during the Sustainable Health Review. It is about looking at how we modernise our health system but in a way that is sustainable and that meets the needs of the population in Western Australia. It is clear that the context in which health care is delivered is changing all the time in terms of demand on the system with an ageing population and our growing population, but also in the context of how people expect to receive care; they are looking for opportunities to receive care closer to home in the community. The work of considering how we can meet the care needs of Western Australians in a sustainable way while also modernising the system has been ongoing for some time. Of course, since the Sustainable Health Review, we had COVID and we saw the impact that that had on the health system and the impacts that have come from that. There is an important context that is changing in health and every single health jurisdiction—
Point of order
Mr Lachlan Hunter: We have been listening to the Minister for Health for a little while now. This point of order is about relevance. The member for Carine asked three very specific questions about a taskforce and the minister has not even said the word yet.
The Speaker: Thank you, member. I shall not uphold that point of order. The minister is responding to the questions and she is allowed to set the context of the response. Carry on, minister.
Questions without notice resumed
Ms Meredith Hammat: I was explaining that the taskforce is part of an ongoing body of work that has been going on since this government was elected, recognising the changing context for the delivery of health care. This is something that every jurisdiction around Australia is looking at. We could not have foreseen COVID when we stood up the Sustainable Health Review, but that has had even further impacts on it. The other important piece of context is the ongoing negotiations with the Commonwealth on the National Health Reform Agreement. The taskforce is an important piece of work, because as a government we are absolutely committed to making sure that we invest in people being able to access the health care that they need in the way that they want—care in the community, closer to home and leaning into the new opportunities to deliver virtual health care. At the same time, we have been investing heavily in our frontline workers, which is why we have uplifted the health workforce by 33% since 2021—5,000 additional nurses and 19,000 additional doctors.
Several members interjected.
The Speaker: Members.
Ms Meredith Hammat: No government has invested more in health than this government. We are committed to making sure that those funds and the work that we are doing are about delivering health care in a way that people want to access it and in a way that builds the system fit for the future.
Several members interjected.
The Speaker: Members of the opposition, you have asked the question and the minister is responding.
Ms Meredith Hammat: This is ongoing work about making sure that the delivery of health care is fit for the future and financially sustainable. We are investing record amounts into frontline services, which is what people want.
390. Mr Liam Staltarito theMinister for Health:
I have a supplementary question. Why would the minister's government set up a cost-cutting taskforce if it does not intend to cut costs in health?
Ms Meredith Hammat replied:
If those opposite had listened to my first answer, they would know that it is not a cost-cutting exercise. I think I made it really clear that it is a recognition of the context in which health care is delivered in this state.
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt!
Ms Meredith Hammat: The context is changing in this and every other state, and the government has been mindful of the issues around financial sustainability since it was first elected. The impacts of COVID compounded that. The ongoing negotiations with the Commonwealth on the National Health Reform Agreement have also compounded that. People's expectations of how and when they access health care are changing all the time so our job as the government is not just to carry on doing what we have always done in health care.
Several members interjected.
The Speaker: Members of the opposition, you have asked the question. Minister.
Ms Meredith Hammat: We have to meet the increase in demand because of our ageing population and growing population. But at the same time, we have to transform the way health care is delivered so that people can access it. We want to do that in such a way that people are getting the health care they need and, of course, we need to do that in a sustainable way. It is not a cost-cutting exercise. No government has invested more in health care than this government. The increases we have made in staff numbers stand in stark contrast to what you did when you were in government.
Several members interjected.
The Speaker: Members! Please cease interjecting.
Ms Meredith Hammat: They do not like to be reminded that we have increased the number of doctors and nurses; we have 1,900 more doctors and 5,000 more nurses. You cut staff. We have increased staff, and we will continue to invest in the health care of Western Australians.
