Fong Hits Back at McGinty

Jim McGinty has begun to realise his health "reforms" aren't what he thought.

Neil Fong's comments in the Sunday Times (25 May 2008) echo a sentiment expressed by the Desert Rat in an earlier post.

He said the McGinty - Carpenter Government had an unwarranted obsession with cutting ribbons on "sexy" new buildings rather than tackling the real cause of problems in our health system. He said the Government (read McGinty) had unrealistic expectations.

The comments reflect McGinty's obsession with new building "throw-away" hospitals all over the State. In the process he has junked many solidly built functional hospitals that were adequate for the jobs, replacing them with high maintenance, short life span, gyprock "Taj Mahals" - monuments to waste, that will fall apart in 20 years. The Kimberley is a classic example where new hospitals are understaffed and what's more, the staff don't stay. New buildings often don't have the character of what they replace and staff do not have that sense of identity that comes with heritage.

Echoing the Desert Rat's earlier post, Fong said, "The major health reform is not building new hospitals, it is ensuring people remain well and do not need hospitals in the first place. It is ensuring people stay well."

In a side swipe at McGinty's expectations, Fong said the long-term change process was never going to happen in three years.

Already all of McGinty's metropolitan building plans are in disarray. Royal Perth will still be there in 20 years. Princess Margaret Childrens' Hospital is in crisis and will not be co-located with the overstretched King Edward Memorial Womens' Hospital. The proposed Fiona Stanley Hospital costs have blown out from $451 million to $1760 about 6 month's ago and still no contract has been awarded for construction and the new Hospital was to have been open in 2010, It is at least 4 to 5 years behind McGintys announced timetable.

With such an incompetent Health Minister in Jim McGinty who think masses of new health legislation and new understaffed country hospitals and an unrealistic "vision" for new city hospitals, readers will see why the Desert Rat has been reluctant to criticise Fong, other than for his ridiculous salary which McGinty was stupid enough to pay him, in his desperation to achieve his "Grand Vision" - which is now in expensive tatters.

The real mystery is, why did Fong bother to stay. Was it misplaced loyalty that was not reciprocated?