16/11/05
Western Australia’s public health system is ranked number one in the nation, according to an independent analysis of State Governments’ economic, environmental and social performances.
The Evatt Foundation’s State of the States report found that Western Australia ranked a ‘commendable first’ in health services.
The report also stated that: ‘Western Australia performed above average in all the health sub-categories. In particular, the State was a runaway winner in population and preventive health.
‘In other excellent results, WA ranked second in community health services…and third in hospital services,’ the report said.
Health Minister Jim McGinty said the Evatt Foundation report was a big tick for WA’s public hospitals.
“Last year our public hospitals attended to more than 1.5million cases,” Mr McGinty said.
“That included more than 640,000 emergency department visits, 582,000 doctor-attended outpatient services, 111,000 overnight surgery cases, 72,000 same day surgery procedures and 13,200 inpatient cases for mental health disorders.
“That is an extraordinary caseload for our public hospital system and to be recognised as the best in the nation is a credit to the staff who deliver top-rate healthcare.”
The Minister said the Evatt Foundation report came hard on the heels of a Department of Health report released last week that showed Western Australians were among the longest living and healthiest people in the world.
“The average life expectancy for a Western Australian male is now 78.1 years and 83 years for women - higher than any other State or Territory,” he said.
“In 2004, the proportion of Western Australians smoking on a daily basis fell to 15.5 per cent - the lowest in Australia.
“Cancer mortality rates fell by an average of 1.4 per cent a year among males and 1.3 per cent among females.”
Mr McGinty said the latest data also showed that elective surgery waiting lists were at an all time low.
“As of November 13, there were 15,435 people waiting for treatment, on average, for just over four months,” he said.
“While the combined reports show the State’s public health system is doing well, we still have more to do.
“That is why we are investing a record $3.6billion in rebuilding and upgrading our hospitals in the metropolitan and country regions over the next decade and opening an additional 800 beds
“This is a record investment in our hospitals that will continue to provide Western Australians with the finest health system in the nation and deliver health care closer to where people live.
“We all believe that with the health reform now well under way, the people of WA will see our public health system improve from the best in the nation to one of the best in the world in the years ahead.”
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