LOURDES HOSPITAL AND COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICE, DUBBO, REHABILITATION SERVICES
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Mrs DAWN FARDELL: My question is directed to the Minister for Health. Will the Minister advise the House of the progress of negotiations with Catholic Healthcare in seeking New South Wales Government assistance for the redevelopment and continuation of vital rehabilitation services at the Lourdes Hospital and Community Health Service in Dubbo?
Ms REBA MEAGHER: The New South Wales Department of Health and the Greater Western Area Health Service are working with Catholic Healthcare to find a solution to the problems faced by Lourdes hospital.
The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Clarence will remain silent.
Ms REBA MEAGHER: The Lourdes Hospital and Community Health Service campus in Dubbo comprises a 30-bed sub-acute rehabilitation hospital, and community care and outreach services. The campus is part of a Dubbo health precinct, which also comprises a base hospital, a private hospital, aged care services, and nurse training facilities. Together these facilities help service the greater far west of New South Wales. Services at Lourdes hospital are provided through a service level agreement with the Greater Western Area Health Service, and Lourdes hospital works in partnership with Dubbo Base Hospital.
The Lourdes service is accredited by the Australian Council of Healthcare Standards, but I am advised that this accreditation only extends to 2009. Recommendations from the last survey indicate that progress needs to be made on the redevelopment of the infrastructure to improve amenities for patients and staff. In February this year Catholic Healthcare, New South Wales Health and the Greater Western Area Health Service met to consider the future accreditation of Lourdes hospital. The meeting concluded that all parties were committed to the ongoing delivery of appropriately accredited services in Dubbo. It was agreed that a joint services and capital investment study be undertaken. A consultant was engaged by the Greater Western Area Health Service to conduct a service procurement plan for the redevelopment of Lourdes hospital.
The area health service acknowledges that there has been a delay in receiving the draft plan from the consultant, and this has posed enormous frustrations for all parties concerned. The executive working group, comprising representatives from New South Wales Health, the Greater Western Area Health Service and Catholic Healthcare, met last week to discuss progress. Having received a second draft of the service procurement plan, the area health service is optimistic that this plan will be completed and reviewed within the next four weeks for release to stakeholders and the community.
The New South Wales Government understands the importance of this issue to the Dubbo community, and the local member has certainly made this clear. We will continue to proceed with the planning of future health services in Dubbo in a consultative and cooperative way. In 2007-08 the New South Wales Government is investing $500 million to improve health services and hospital care for patients in the Greater Western Area Health Service. This year's health budget allocation for the Greater Western Area Health Service is $42.4 million more than for last year. This represents a 9.3 per cent increase as part of a record statewide health budget. We are delivering on our commitment to provide improved health services for those living in the State's greater west through an additional 16 community-based bed equivalents, the continuation of the Bathurst and Orange hospital redevelopments, establishment of after-hours general practice clinics at Dubbo and Broken Hill and improved radiotherapy services for the greater western area.