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Authorised by Katy Gallagher,
ACT Legislative Assembly, London Circuit, Canberra ACT 2601
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| Celebrating ACT Women's Achievements |
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The call for nominations has opened for the ACT International Women’s Day Awards as part of celebrations for the 2008 UN International Day of Women on 8 March.
The awards recognise women in the ACT community whose outstanding achievements have enriched the lives of others. Women contribute to the wellbeing of our community in a rich range of roles and capacities. The awards are a public acknowledgement of ordinary women whose passion for something has made a significant difference in our community. Nominations are open for the following categories:
Women’s Awards: for a woman whose outstanding achievements have made a significant and positive difference in the ACT community; including a Special Category for a woman from a culturally and linguistically diverse background who has made a significant contribution to the ACT community, in recognition of 2008 as International Year of Languages.
Community Award: for an individual member of the community or an organisation that has made a substantial contribution to improving the quality of life for women in the ACT. Forms are available from the ACT Office for Women, Department of Disability, Housing and Community Services, www.women.act.gov.au or by phoning 6205 0515. Nominations close on Friday 8 February 2008. |
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| Nurse Recruitment and Staffing Numbers Positive |
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Nurse Staffing numbers have increased significantly over the last financial year with numbers increasing from 1979 full time equivalent (FTE) nurses to 2,137 representing an 8% increase.
This places the ACT in a good position as we lead into another busy recruitment phase in the New Year.
This is a very significant increase at a time when other parts of Australia and overseas continue to experience declining nursing and midwifery numbers.
Coupled with our low turnover rate at TCH which is currently between 6 and 8%, this outcome reflects international best practice in terms of staff retention.
Currently, The Canberra Hospital (TCH) has a vacancy rate of approximately 60 FTE nurses.
The 60 current vacancies are filled from the casual on-call pool and Agency staff, as well as permanent nurses — especially part-time employees — who choose to work additional shifts.
We expect that this will be overcome in the New Year when about 90 new nurses will be employed.
The new intake will include mostly new graduates for whom there is an excellent New Graduate Program, staffed with dedicated Clinical Development Nurses, who will support the new graduates into clinical practice—and the remainder of new starters are experienced nurses and midwives from other jurisdictions.
The recent appointment of a dedicated Registered Nurse for Nursing/Midwifery recruitment will ensure a timely response to all employment enquiries and will streamline nursing/midwifery appointment processes. |
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| New Youth InterACT Website Launched |
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Recently, I was pleased to announce the establishment of a contemporary and interactive website for young people aged 12-25.
The revitalisation of the Youth InterACT website was managed by the Youth Advisory Council, which provided advice and input regarding its design and content.
The Youth InterACT website www.youth.act.gov.au is a ‘participation-focused’ website and a key source for information about local youth based activities.
This includes information on National Youth Week, Youth InterAct Grants, Scholarships, Youth Forums, and the annual Youth InterACT conference.
It provides monthly information through a youth E bulletin on youth issues, current events, youth conferences, competitions and links to other youth sites providing information about youth services in
Canberra.
Young people could subscribe to the website’s Consultation Register and will be notified by email of up-coming consultation opportunities and receive regular information about youth issues and events.
The new website also gives young people take part in ‘on line’ discussions, and to offer information on youth issues directly to the Government.
I am confident it will be a ‘must visit’ for young people staying in touch with youth activities in the ACT and across Australia.
For more information on the Youth InterACT web-site visit: www.youth.act.gov.au |
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| A Message From Katy |
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| 2008 is going to be a busy year for all of us in the ACT Labor Party. The Federal election may be over but ours is just about begin! I will be working hard along with party members to develop policy in my portfolio areas for a third term Stanhope Government. I look forward to working with all of you to achieve this. |
| 162 Extra Beds Under ACT Labor |
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The number of beds available in the ACT public
hospital system will have increased by over 20 per cent from 2001–02 to the end of 2007–08.
The review, based on independent Australian
Institute of Health and Welfare figures and ACT Health projections based on budget funding, shows a decline in hospital beds during the mid to late 1990s, and the turn around which has been
progressively delivered under the Stanhope
Government.
The figures show the decline in bed numbers
following the Liberal government’s decision to close the Royal Canberra Hospital which occurred in 1991 – a downward turn of 42 beds.
The figures clearly show that from the time the
Liberals took office in 1995 their legacy is a 114 bed reduction.
In 2004-05 ACT Labor began to allocate specific funding to increase bed capacity in public hospitals to meet demand for services, provide more flexible and comprehensive services, and to improve patient flow. By the end of 2007–08, the
Government will have added $24 million to the ACT Health budget over four years to fund up to an additional 162 beds within the ACT public hospital system.
The review also puts a lie to claims by the Liberal opposition that the Follett Government cut 200 beds from the Hospital system.
Mr Seselja and Mrs Burke need to put up or shut up with these claims, as the bulk of bed cuts from 1989 to 1995, when both Labor and Liberal were in power, seem to derive from the Liberal
Government’s decision to close the Royal Canberra Hospital. Even then, there is nothing like a 200 bed cut under either Government.
By the end of 2007–08, we expect that the ACT public hospital system will have a capacity of over 800 hospital beds on average, an increase of 24 per cent on the number of beds available in 2001–02 (670).
Based on current estimates in relation to the timing of the commissioning of new beds funded through budget initiatives over the last four budgets (to 2007-08 budget), and the average level of
occupancy of those beds over the four years, it is anticipated that the ACT public hospital system will have access to just under 800 beds on average by the end of 2008-09.
The additional bed capacity funded by the
Government over recent budgets has enabled the public hospital system to meet demand and
improve efficiency. |
| Looking Back on the Health Successes of 2007 |
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I recently reflected on the significant additional achievements that have been made for the benefit of the ACT community in the area of health service provision.
2007 has been a year of great achievements for the Territory—great achievements that ultimately flow to the people of Canberra and continue to build on the provision of already excellent health services.
Some of these include:
Lowering the Dental list – Added $2.6 million to the Community Health budget over the last four years to improve access to the public dental health program. This funding has enabled the ACT to maintain the best waiting times in the nation for access to public dental services.
ACT public hospitals posted another record year for access to elective surgery, with 9,327 people removed from the waiting list for care. This is the fourth consecutive year in which we’ve posted record access to elective surgery.
Elective surgery up and cancellations down - In 2006-2007, 9,326 patients received elective surgery and were removed from the waiting list which was 206 more than the 9120 recorded in 2005-06. The number of people waiting longer than one year for surgery has dropped by 21 per cent in 2006-07, from 1,085 at 30 June 2006 to 835 at 30 June 2007.
The Government has also added a further $8 million over the next four years to the ACT Health budget as part of the 2007-08 second appropriation. This funding includes:
Over $1 million for the new paediatric waiting area at the emergency department at The Canberra Hospital;
$900,000 for the establishment of a Department of Ophthalmology that includes a registrar-training program to expand the range of ophthalmology services provided in the public health system.
Almost $5 million to operate a culturally appropriate residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility in the ACT, servicing the adult Indigenous population.
Almost $2 million to provide new equipment for our services, particular cancer services, to ensure that we continue to provide the best available care for the people of the ACT. This additional funding will provide for a new gamma camera, a computerized radiography unit and a new superficial x-ray radiotherapy treatment unit.
These are just some of our achievements for 2007 and I am confident that we can only do better in future years. We have a great health system, one that we should all be proud of and the Stanhope Government will continue to focus its attention on the needs of the ACT community as it takes the Territory even further forward. |
| Extra Support for Disability Services in 2007 |
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2007 saw an increase in the resources that have been provided in the areas of disability services which have enabled people with disabilities to receive supported accommodation, increased carer support, respite and community services.
In its 2007 Budget, the ACT Government allocated additional resources for disability services in the Territory providing $15.3 million over four years to enable people with disabilities to receive extra support and assistance.
Some of the increases in funding for this term have included:
Individual Support Services (ISP) – growth from $5.3m up to $8.3m
Post School’s Options (PSO) 1.025 mil
Mature Carers programs $1.73mill
Increase in respite services including special respite for older adults $768,000
Development of specialist services for families with children who have intensive support needs including children with challenging behaviours including $410,000
Autism assessment and support $436,000
Establishment and implementation of an intensive care and treatment program for people with dual disabilities and complex behavioural problems $1.242m
Initiation of a community based support service for youth and young adults on the north side of Canberra $415,000
Development of specialist accommodation service for people who have an acquired brain injury $440,000
Increase recurrent funding to community providers to provide increased flexibility in the delivery of services $550,000
Increase cost for Disability Support Staff $760,000
Young People in Residential Aged Care $1.314m |
| Additional Funding Boosts Community Inclusion Projects |
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Recently I announced additional funding under the Community Inclusion Fund that will see the continuation of 13 existing projects.
The Community Inclusion Fund is a key part of the ACT Government’s approach towards addressing the basic causes poverty and social exclusion that impact on some of the most vulnerable people in Canberra.
The Fund assists organisations — government and non-government — to change the way they deliver services for individuals, families and communities that are experiencing social exclusion. It enables these organisations to focus on best practice and to implement evidence-based solutions in the delivery of programs and services.
Thirteen of the projects funded in 2004, that were due to wind down at the end of December 2007 will be offered an additional 12 months of funding totalling 869,780. The projects that will be extended as a result of the additional funding include:
Brindabella Womens’ Community Group, providing women with young children at home opportunities for participation in arts activities, parenting seminars and physical activities in Tuggeranong.
A midwife and an outreach worker for Karinya House home for mothers and babies, which provides supported accommodation for young women who are pregnant or parenting and who are homeless, or a risk of homelessness; and
Students Participating in Community Enterprise (SPICE), a preventative program for high schools students who are at risk of dropping out of school. Students are offered an alternative to five-day-a-week schooling, though a volunteer work placement while continuing their education. |
| Local Researches Receive Funding Boost from ACT Health |
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In late December I was pleased to announce $250,000 in funding to foster the talents of health and medical researchers in the ACT.
Funded under the ACT Health and Medical Research Support Program, grants will promote increased research activity in the ACT. The ACT Health and Medical Research Support Program commenced in 2004 with the aim of increasing the national and international contribution of the ACT health and medical research community.
Under the program, researchers can receive funding for large project development or short-term Fellowships. There were 21 applications received this year from local researchers based at the Australian National University, the University of Canberra and The Canberra Hospital.
Applications were assessed by the ACT Health and Medical Research Council with Professor Scott Henderson, Chair of the Council. Encouraging and developing local researchers in the health and medical sector is fundamental to ensuring that their wealth of knowledge and expertise remains within the Territory.
This support will also assist the ACT to maintain its reputation for scientific excellence in health and medical research. |
| New Domestic Violence Prevention Campaign Launched |
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In early December I was pleased to launch the Women’s Legal Centre’s new community domestic violence prevention and education campaign, Reach Out and Make a Difference.
The campaign was developed to raise awareness about domestic violence to the broader community, and to support women facing situations of violence.
In 2006 the Domestic Violence Crisis Centre received close to 8,000 calls to its crisis line.
This is an alarming statistic, and one that shows that the ACT — along with the rest of Australia — has to challenge domestic violence.
Domestic violence affects women from all backgrounds. We know that it is occurring within our community — and is often a hidden problem.
Violence in the home has a devastating effect psychologically, socially and economically — both in the short and long term — on women, children and families. It also impacts on the wellbeing of the community as a whole.
The estimated the cost in Australia to manage the effects of violence both socially and economically is estimated to be around $8.1 billion annually.
The Women’s Legal Centre’s campaign is supported by a series of brochures, and was funded through the 2006/07 ACT Women’s Grants Program. The brochures use a narrative approach to provide information on how people can assist when they suspect a woman is the subject of violent behaviour. |
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