Keith and District Hospital

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (15:04): Supplementary arising from the minister's answer where he talked about people having to travel long distances for care: has the minister now provided the funding needed by the Keith hospital so that they can provide emergency department care close to people's homes in Keith?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (15:04): That question, I suspect, has absolutely nothing to do with PATS because I doubt if anybody travelling to Keith is travelling more than 100 kilometres, and for that matter it's not a public hospital. I think it's important to make that point: it's a community hospital—a much treasured community hospital. This government is continuing to have positive discussions with both the local health network and the Keith hospital board. The funding for the Keith hospital is committed right through to the middle of this year, and we will make further announcements in terms of the strategy going forward in due course.