Question Without Notice No. 380 asked in the Legislative Council on 22 June 2010 by Hon Ed Dermer
Parliament: 38 Session: 1
PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL — PAEDIATRIC GASTROENTEROLOGISTS
380. Hon ED DERMER to the minister representing the Minister for Health:
Some notice of this question has been given.
(1) What are the average waiting times for children listed as priority 1, 2 and 3 patients to see a paediatric gastroenterologist at Princess Margaret Hospital for Children?
(2) Following that appointment, what is the average waiting time for surgery in each category?
(3) How many paediatric gastroenterologists are employed in Western Australia, and at which hospitals are they employed?
(4) How many vacancies currently exist for paediatric gastroenterologists in Western Australia, and at what hospitals are the vacancies located?
Hon SIMON O’BRIEN replied:
I thank the honourable member for notice of this question.
(1) Priority 1 patients are seen within 30 days. Priority 2 patients are seen within 290 days. Once seen, there is a follow-up appointment time of 160 days. There is no priority 3.
(2) The time to endoscopic procedure following consultation is two to three months. These patients then require follow-up appointments.
(3) Four consultant paediatric gastroenterologists are employed at Princess Margaret Hospital for Children. This represents 2.5 full-time equivalents. There are no paediatric gastroenterologists practising in Western Australia outside PMH either in other public hospitals or in the private sector.
(4) There is a 0.5 FTE vacancy at PMH.