Health—Government performance
444. Ms Kim Giddens to the Minister for Health:
I refer the minister to the Cook Labor government's commitment to ensuring all Western Australians can access the health care they need, when they need it. Can the minister advise the house how this government is supporting programs that benefit Western Australian families?
Ms Meredith Hammat replied:
I thank the member for the question. It gives me an opportunity to speak about our government's $39.5 million commitment to expand access to Ngala's parenting service. I know many in this chamber will be familiar with Ngala. It has been providing support to Western Australian families for decades, and our government is very proud to support it and the parents of Western Australia. We know that parents can often face a range of challenges following the birth of a child. It can impact on the mental health and wellbeing of the family. It has been quite a few year since my kids were little, but I still remember the long days and nights, and I know many parents would say the same thing. That is why our government has invested $39.5 million to support more families to access the professional support offered through Ngala's renowned residential parenting service. Those parents can access it for free. Ngala is now taking bookings for the free service that provides professional support to WA parents going through challenging times after the birth of a child. The funding has also enabled Ngala to expand its residential parenting service from four to seven days a week. That means it will be able to provide free parenting help, including vital mental health support, to up to 1,734 families each year. From 13 October, families will be able to visit Ngala's purpose-built residential parenting service in Kensington for a day or stay up to three nights at no cost.
It was wonderful to be there this morning alongside the Premier; Ngala's CEO, Michelle Dillon; the member for South Perth; and also some recent clients, Jemma and Jacob and their beautiful seven-month-old baby, Ned, who I think it is fair to say, stole the show at this morning's presser. We are very pleased to be able to provide this support. We know how important the support Ngala provides is to Western Australian families. It is not just about providing assistance in relation to sleep, but also a range of services that help parents navigate those early days. A good night's sleep is just one part of the broader range of issues that parents might face. That is why Ngala also has available child health nurses, midwives, lactation consultants, clinical psychologists and social workers. We are very proud of our commitment to Ngala and the impact this will have on new families in Western Australia to ensure that they are able to access the health services they need for them and their newborn babies.
