The parties respond to policy questions from the HSU

14 February 2005

The WA Health Minister Jim McGinty and the Coalition's health spokesman Dan Sullivan have both responded to the HSU's questions on how they will improve healthcare if their party wins the election.

Question 1: Are you proposing an annual increase in the budget for health? If so how much?

McGinty:Yes. Between 2001 and 2004, annual spending on health increased by $886million - a percentage increase of 38.5%.

The Budget forward estimates provide for a 7% increase in 04/05 and we expect expenditure increases in years 2005/06, 2006/07 and 2007/08 will be in the order of 6.5% as outlined in the Reid Report.

The Government has also committed to a major reform program following the Health Reform Committee Report "Reid Report".

The cost of implementing these reforms is estimated to be $1.7 billion over the next 13 years. The Budget Papers clearly show the timing of each of these initiatives over this period.

This $1.7 billion is a major allocation of new money to the health system, and shows the priority this Government will be giving to addressing the health needs of Western Australians in the next term.

When the normal capital investment program in health is added to this major new initiative, the Government will provide a staggering $2.7 billion of capital investment in health over the next 13 years, including $633 million over the forward estimates period. This will bring total recurrent funding for the Department of Health to a record $2.8 billion in 2004-05.

Sullivan:Yes. The Liberal-National Coalition will spend more than $440 million of extra growth funding provided in the budget forward estimates exclusively on health care, including our plan for more than 700 extra hospital beds in the urban area and significant improvements to country health care.

Also, the Coalition is committed to increasing mental health funding to 10 percent of the health budget - that is a $90 million increase on 200405 budget levels.

Question 2:Are you proposing to increase or reduce the overall size of the public hospital and health service workforce? If changes are proposed give details.

McGinty: As you can see in the response to the above question, the Government's investment in public health will inevitably lead to an increase in the overall size of the public sector health workforce.

Sullivan: To achieve our plan for more than 700 extra hospital beds in the urban area and big improvements to country health care it will be necessary to increase staffing and clinical resources, especially at community hospitals that will be expanded including Swan District, Rockingham, Joondalup, Osborne Park, Peel, Murray, Bunbury, Albany and Geraldton.

Question 3: Are you proposing an increase in public hospital bed numbers? If so give details.

McGinty: In line with the recommendations of the Reid Report, the Government is committed to substantially increasing the number of public hospital beds over the next 15 years.

As you are aware, the Premier announced the 1000-bed Fiona Stanley Hospital to be built at Murdoch to cater to the population growth in the southern suburbs.

Construction of the Fiona Stanley Hospital will commence in 2007. The tertiary hospital will open with 600 beds in 2010 and be upgraded to 1000 beds by 2020.

The Liberal Party is proposing a 350 bed general community hospital at Murdoch. Such proposal is woefully inadequate and fails to look after the community in the southern suburbs.

You would also be aware that the Gallop Government is committed to building a 700-bed tertiary hospital in Joondalup by 2020.

Importantly, 90 existing private beds at Joondalup Health Campus will be returned for use by public patients in the next three years.

In addition, the Gallop Government will work with Affinity Health on the construction of a new 150 bed private hospital costing $40million.

I also announced in November 2004 stage one of the upgrade of Rockingham Hospital (RKDH). Stage one will see RKDH increasing bed capacity from 67 to 217 by 2006-07. A further upgrade to 300 beds, consistent with the Reid Report, will be completed by 2014.

In the immediate future, the Government has purchased two private hospital facilities (Galliers (a 61 bed hospital at Armadale) and Kaleeya (a 95 bed hospital at East Fremantle)) with the aim of utilising these facilities to increase public hospital bed availability in the short term.

The Government has also committed to funding an additional 130 beds in the metropolitan area throughout 2005. These additional beds were initially opened in mid 2004 as part of a strategy to meet winter demand, however due to the current pressures on our public hospitals, the Government has decided to keep these beds open throughout 2005.

The additional beds will help meet a projected growth in demand for hospital services over the next decade resulting from population growth, ageing and changes in clinical practice.

Sullivan: Yes. Unlike Labor which has cut bed numbers our plan for urban hospitals provides more than 700 extra hospital beds in the first four-year term of government and a range of improvements in country areas. This will help resolve a range of serious problems in the health system.

Question 4: Will you agree to greater consultation and cooperation with the HSU to address concerns amongst members about workloads and staffing levels in public hospitals and health services?

McGinty: Yes. I am always available to discuss specific concerns as they arise. As the reform agenda progresses, staffing and workload will naturally form a part of growth of clinical services. As this process unfolds, there will be considerable consultation with the Health Services Union.

Sullivan: Unlike Labor, the Coalition Minister for Health will be a dedicated Minister, so health is their only priority. The minister will meet personally with groups and individuals involved in health care, including the HSU and its members to discuss any health issues and the conditions of people working in the health care.

Question 5: Do you plan to close or downgrade any public hospitals or health services within the next term? If so give details.

McGinty: The Reid Report sets out new roles for many of our health services. The Government has been open in its support for the Report's recommendations since their public release in March 2004.

A Clinical Services Plan is being developed by the Health Reform Implementation Taskforce based on the recommendations of the Reid Report. There are no proposals to close hospitals but there may be changes to the clinical profile of some hospitals.

Sullivan: Unlike Labor which will close RPH the Coalition will keep the hospital open and make major improvements in our second term. Unlike Labor which has closed down the hawthorn Hospital and privatised all its beds, and which plans to build the new Murdoch public hospital as a private-public-partnership, the Coalition will re-open Hawthorn as a public hospital and has expressed its preference for the government to build the new Murdoch facility.

Unlike Labor which will close Woodside Hospital the Coalition will upgrade it, open more beds and keep it open.

Question 6:Do you plan to contract out or privatise existing public health services or functions? If so give details.

McGinty: The policy of the Labor Government is not to contract out services. The Labor Government has in fact returned a number of previously contracted out services to the Government health sector.

Sullivan: The Coalition has no plans to privatise or contract out existing services and will make decisions on matters as they arise principally on the need to improve the availability of high quality hospital care and community-based health care.

Question 7: Do you intend to have the private sector involved in the provision of new or redeveloped public health services through contracting out or public private partnerships? If so give details.

McGinty: The Government does not have a policy which either automatically includes or excludes Public Private Partnerships (PPP). Only where it is transparently clear, that a PPP will enable the best service to be delivered to the community on a financially long term sustainable basis will it be considered.

Sullivan: Unlike Labor which plans to build the new Murdoch public hospital as a public-private-partnership, like it did with the new courthouse building in Perth, the Coalition's preference is for this to be a government project.

It is intended that the Coalition's $250 million urban hospital expansion plans and country upgrades will be government-run as well.

Question 8: What is your position on corporate reform within health? Will you support the retention of all corporate jobs in country health services?

McGinty: There is a significant investment being made across government, and in health, in the provision of shared corporate services. There will be a transfer of functions from all Health Services, including country based, to the Health Corporate Network (HCN).

Whilst the final number of affected country positions has not yet been determined, it is evident that it will be very small, in comparison to total Health regional employment.

A significant number of positions in areas covered by the shared services initiative, eg: Finance, Human Resources, Supply and Information Communication Technology, will remain on site in regional (and metropolitan) areas. In addition, it is the Government's commitment that the funds freed up by the Shared Corporate Services Reform, will result in additional clinical services and jobs in regional areas.

It would be misleading the Union to say that nothing will change in country health services will be retained. However, I will guarantee that there will be no involuntary redundancies arising out of this initiative and that affected country-based employees will be given alternative work in their existing regions, if that is their wish.

Given the long time period for implementation of the Corporate Reform, there will be very few employees who will find themselves in this position.

Sullivan: The Coalition will re-introduce country health boards to oversee the management of health services in country areas. While the Coalition will re-introduce Directors of Nursing to south west hospitals, this will not be at the expense of anyone's job security.

Question 9: Will you support the speedy resolution of work value case for health professionals (P18 of 2003)?

McGinty: I support the timely resolution of the work value claim for health professionals, consistent with the processes agreed by the Health Services Union and the Department of Health.

Sullivan: As discussed at our meeting, the Coalition will not impede the work value case and we look forward to working with the HSU to help work towards improved conditions for staff in our health system and, most importantly, to improve health care services for the community.

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