Putting it on the record
Dr Kyle Hoath
AMA (WA) President
Not much more than a couple of months into my term, and I’m already sounding like a broken record. Actually, it’s more the case that the health system is breaking records, of the wrong sort.
I had barely warmed the seat when the WA regional ambulance ramping record for June was broken. While at 258 hours they only made up a tiny proportion of the 5,555 hours of ramping for that month, it was certainly emblematic of the general malaise of hospital overcrowding and underperformance being experienced throughout the State. As the majority of those record country hours occurred at Bunbury Regional Hospital, it drew attention to conditions in the South West. The beautiful and accessible region is understandably considered a prime area for our doctors, but we need working conditions there that act as an attractant to our medical workforce, not a deterrent.
Perhaps we should have anticipated what was to follow, but nothing could quite have prepared for the magnitude of the record that followed, when we exceeded all-time ramping with 7,009 hours in July. Traditionally July figures are high, and the horror flu season hasn’t helped.
To say this has really fired up the media would be an understatement (and the media certainly isn’t prone to understatement). With Labor’s total dominance in recent election cycles, and the Opposition now under the leadership of prominent identity Basil Zempilas, media outlets perhaps sensed a chink in the armour of Premier Roger Cook, who still has the benefit of a significant majority to help him through the next election.
“All records are meant to be broken, and I can assure you I will be putting all my energy into achieving some good ones and doing my utmost for our members. I’m putting that on the record.
I was blunt in my assessment of the Premier’s constant falling back on spruiking the wonders of our “world-class health system”. Whatever you think of how lucky or otherwise you might be to live in WA compared to other parts of the world, and to have the healthcare system we have here, it’s far too glib to sprout those lines when the elderly are stuck for hours in hospital corridors, their dignity (and the sanity of their loved ones) ebbing away. While our doctors, nurses and healthcare workers give world-class care to their patients, the same cannot be said of their working conditions across the board.
Unfortunately the ‘world-class’ tag has been rather tarnished by ongoing revelations of the state of the ageing and poorly maintained Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. We stand ready to partner with the Government to ensure a path to the health and safety standards that every patient, doctor, and other hospital staff deserve. Charlies is only one symptom of a far larger problem. The AMA (WA) has consistently called for modernisation of ageing hospitals which have served us so well in years gone by, but are no longer fit for purpose.
Speaking of records, I have achieved the rather lofty title of youngest ever AMA (WA) President. There isn’t actually a lot I can do about my age (and it’s way too cold for ice baths) but I imagine the next two years might have an accelerating effect. Hopefully more on my knowledge and adeptness at dealing with the demands thrown up in this role than the ageing process.
Since day one, I have been constructively engaged in the daily grind of talking to the hardworking Health and Mental Minister and her ministerial team, as well as decision-makers at all levels of the system. There is no substitute for building these relationships and a level of trust and respect, despite the differences that inevitably emerge.
So, the challenge is there. We have the opportunity for the AMA (WA) and the Government to break records together. Record bed numbers. Record patient care. Record innovation. All records are meant to be broken, and I can assure you I will be putting all my energy into achieving some good ones and doing my utmost for our members. I’m putting that on the record.