Hospitals—Emergency departments—Wait times
495. Hon Philip Scott to the parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Health:
I have recently received multiple reports from constituents of the diabolical circumstances they faced when needing medical assistance in WA hospital emergency departments. Patient wait times are as long as 11 hours to be triaged to a hospital ward, with no communication forewarning of such long wait times. Can the parliamentary secretary answer the following questions?
(1) What was the recorded average wait time for patients presenting in WA hospital emergency departments for the financial year 2024–25 and for the month of July?
(2) What is the target wait time for patients presenting in WA hospital emergency departments?
(3) Given the WA Labor government's oft-repeated mantra that COVID restrictions were in place to keep everyone safe, what is the government doing to improve WA's hospital crisis?
(4) Given that Premier Roger Cook has publicly laid blame with the Commonwealth for WA's failing health system, when will the Premier lobby his friends in Canberra to lower the rate of immigration, which has clearly contributed to the overburdening of WA's health system?
Hon Pierre Yang replied:
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. I provide the following answer on behalf of the Minister for Health.
The information requested is not available in the time provided. As such, I ask that the honourable member please put the question on notice.
