Friday 20 November 2009
LABOR’S HEALTH INCOMPETENCE: BARELY A QUARTER OF CLINICAL STAFF OFFICERS ACTUALLY WORKING
A linch-pin of the Rees Government’s response to the Garling inquiry is performing exactly like the rest of Labor’s health policies: late, unfinished and well below what was promised, Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner said today.
On 30 March 2009 then Health Minister John Della Bosca announced the Rees Government was recruiting 500 Clinical Support Officers at a cost of $176 million.
The Sydney Morning Herald has revealed more than seven months later just 132 officers are actually working in our public hospitals, or 26% of what was promised.
Hospitals in Western Sydney have no Clinical Support Officers, with both the Sydney South West and Sydney West Area Health Services failing to have a single working officer.
“This is yet another one of Labor’s broken health promises,” Mrs Skinner said.
“Labor’s strategy on health is simple: promise the earth, claim you’ll spend millions and fail to deliver – it’s a pattern of behaviour that is repeated across most State Government portfolios,” she said.
“Labor has abandoned families in Western Sydney by failing to give them a single Clinical Support Officer.
“Carmel Tebbutt’s weak leadership has failed to deliver the required staff.
“The latest Labor Health Minister will trot out all the same old excuses that the public have heard before – it’s been happening for 14 years.
“A NSW Liberals & Nationals Government will deliver real change.
“Labor’s health policies and their Area Health Services have failed to deliver better health care for NSW families, which is why a NSW Liberals & Nationals Government will remove them and create smaller Health Districts with local Boards made up of community representatives and expert clinicians – we will give power back to local communities.
“Only a NSW Liberals & Nationals Government is committed to delivering a health system that puts patients first, and re-engages demoralised medical professionals,” Mrs Skinner said.