Women's and Children's Hospital

The Hon. C. BONAROS (14:48): Supplementary question: can the minister confirm for the record:

1. Is the executive consulting with clinicians?

2. Of that budgetary figure that he referred to, how much is being used to release clinicians from their clinical roles to appropriately engage and consult on the clinical and staffing requirements of a new hospital?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:48): My understanding is that, first of all, as I said in my answer to the honourable Leader of the Opposition which I referred the honourable member to earlier, there has been significant engagement with clinicians. Through the clinicians I met with at the end of last year, there was very broad agreement that clinicians need to be engaged not just in the new Women's and Children's Hospital project but also in the ongoing development of services.

But in terms of whether or not staff are specifically freed up in terms of remuneration, my understanding is that the practices being used in relation to the new Women's and Children's Hospital project are similar to other capital works projects in Health.