Cardiac Services

The Hon. C. BONAROS (15:22): Supplementary: given that time is a critical factor for survival, and everything the minister has just said, how does a 28-month waiting time (up from 19.7 months) at The QEH and a 15-month waiting time (up from 8.3 months) at the RAH for an appointment with a cardiologist gel with the importance of early intervention and treatment?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (15:22): I make the point that the comments that I was making were in relation to cardiac arrest. In relation to waiting times, those outpatient waiting times are in relation to category 2 and 3. The situation the honourable member refers to—an urgent case—is category 1 and they would be given priority for outpatient appointments.