The Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM; the College) congratulates Premier Mark McGowan on his government’s re-election in Western Australia.
The College is eager to work closely with the government to find and implement solutions to the systemic crises of hospital access block and ambulance ramping – issues publicly and urgently outlined by the College prior to the election.
ACEM welcomes Labor’s commitment to expand emergency departments and upgrade hospitals in every region of Western Australia.
The College also welcomes the pre-election commitment to develop an extra 300 hospital beds, including 100 specifically for mental health. This is a positive start to delivering the estimated 440 beds needed to bring Western Australia to per capita bed parity with the rest of Australia.
ACEM looks forward to learning where, and when, these beds will be made available, and is eager to accept the government’s offer to meet and learn more about their plan to address the ambulance ramping crisis.
Western Australia’s frontline clinical staff have been under tremendous, growing and well-documented pressure, even before COVID-19. The College is committed to working with the government during this next term, to ensure the state’s health facilities and systems support our clinicians to meet the growing health needs of Western Australians now – and into the future.
Quotes attributable to ACEM Western Australia Faculty Chair Dr Peter Allely:
“Western Australia’s excellent emergency clinicians always strive to deliver the best possible care to patients, in often resource-limited environments. The biggest challenge we face currently is the lack of capacity in our hospitals and emergency departments. We urge the government to urgently provide the resources, planning and support necessary, so we can provide the world-class emergency care that Western Australians deserve.
We welcome the 300 new hospital bed commitment – but we need details, as well as clear undertakings to meet not just current, but also future, demand. We want to see a five, 10, 15 year plan – and beyond. The population is set to explode as Western Australia’s borders reopen following COVID-19 restrictions. By the time 300 beds open, we will probably need 300 more. Does the government have a plan for this?
The cycle needs to be broken. Hospital overcrowding and ambulance ramping can and must be solved. We will continue to hold the government to account if we don’t see considerable progress soon.”
Quotes attributable to ACEM President Dr John Bonning:
“We congratulate the McGowan government on being re-elected. We strongly hope that the government will now urgently address Western Australia’s dangerous and unacceptable hospital access block and ambulance ramping crises, and create the health system that the people of Western Australia need and deserve.
“We stand ready and willing to assist with what must be a priority for this term of government.”
Background:
ACEM is the peak body for emergency medicine in Australia and New Zealand, responsible for training emergency physicians and advancement of professional standards. www.acem.org.au