Legislative Council - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2017-09-26 Daily Xml

Contents

Modbury Hospital

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (14:50): Can the minister confirm that the review includes surgical, medical and rehabilitation services, and also that it will look at implementation of Transforming Health beyond Modbury?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse) (14:50): Quite simply, the review is looking at the services that are provided for at the Modbury Hospital; that is the scope of the review. Everything that is encompassed within that—and that is a broad scope, I think—is reasonably being looked at. The Hon. Ms Lensink mentioned rehab services. One of the things I was able to do when I was at Modbury is already look at the incredible facilities that are there now, and that is on the back of substantial investments the government has made in recent years.

This government has been continuously investing in Modbury Hospital and we want that to continue. We have already got commitments that we have put out on the record of what we intend to do in the Modbury Hospital going forward. For instance, the rehab facilities that are there now are outstanding, world class and the envy of many other hospitals around the nation. All of it is on the table. I am not in the business, like I said, this early on of ruling things in or out. It is a genuine exercise. We want to hear from people directly.

I should state that our objective, like I said, is to improve health care for residents within the north-eastern suburbs and the northern suburbs generally. In terms of any changes that are contemplated at Modbury, it is really, really important that we make sure that safety and the delivery of safe and quality health care is at the centre of any decisions that are made. We want to be committed to the fact that the politics will look after itself; it is the policy we need to focus on when it comes to providing good quality services at Modbury. We won't be making a hasty political decision in this instance. We believe, if we get the policy right, that the politics will look after itself. Safe and appropriate service delivery is going to be at the centre of any decision-making that we make at Modbury Hospital.