Questions & Answers Paper No. 158 - Parliament of New South ...

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LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
MONDAY 12 OCTOBER 2009
*7403 CATARACT SURGERY WAITING LIST—Mrs Jillian Skinner asked the Deputy Premier, Minister for
Climate Change and the Environment, and Minister for Commerce representing the Attorney General,
Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Health, Minister for the Central Coast, Vice President of
the Executive Council—
How many people will now have to wait for cataract surgery following the Federal Government's halving
of the Medicare Benefits Schedule rebate from $600 to $300?
Answer—
NSW Health will closely monitor the situation when the change occurs in November 2009.
*7404 OPHTHALMOLOGY WAITING LISTS—Mrs Jillian Skinner asked the Deputy Premier, Minister for
Climate Change and the Environment, and Minister for Commerce representing the Attorney General,
Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Health, Minister for the Central Coast, Vice President of
the Executive Council—
What effect will the recent capping by the Federal Government of the Medicare Benefits Schedule rebate
for cataract surgery have on the ophthalmology waiting lists in New South Wales hospitals?
Answer—
NSW Health will closely monitor the situation when the change occurs in November 2009.
*7405 OBESITY TREATMENT—Mrs Jillian Skinner asked the Deputy Premier, Minister for Climate Change
and the Environment, and Minister for Commerce representing the Attorney General, Minister for
Industrial Relations, Minister for Health, Minister for the Central Coast, Vice President of the Executive
Council—
In relation to a promise made by former Minister for Health, Reba Meagher, that there would be
specialised medical surgical clinics across New South Wales to provide multidiciplinary medical
programs and bariatric surgery for those who are morbidly obese:
(1) Where are these clinics located?
(2) Are all or any operational?
(3) How many patients have so far been treated and how many are expected to be treated at each centre
over a one year period?
Answer—
(1) to (3) I am advised that there are currently 5 clinics:
• The Royal North Shore Hospital medical⁄bariatric clinic, which reviews 16 patients per week,
• approximately 768 per year.
• Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and Concord Repatriation General Hospital treat several hundred
patients per year in their obesity clinics.
• The Camden Hospital clinic, which commenced operation on 3 July 2009 and has seen 22 new
patients up to 4 September 2009. It is anticipated that approximately 150 new patients will be
seen each year at this clinic.
• Westmead Hospital has a multidisciplinary obesity clinic. In 2008, 770 people were seen at the
clinic. To the end of August 2009, 608 people had been seen.
Of note, in 2008⁄09, 264 bariatric procedures were performed in 23 public hospitals across NSW.
*7406 CRAVE BREAKFAST ON THE BRIDGE—Mr George Souris asked the Premier, and Minister for the
Arts—
In relation to Crave Breakfast on the Bridge:
(1) Did the Premier make a public announcement yesterday that truck crews would take only 3 hours to
lay kikuyu live turf on the deck of the Sydney Harbour Bridge?
(2) How long will it take for crews to remove the turf and soil from the bridge?
(3) How will the soil that will be left behind on the bridge deck be removed?
(4) What strategy is in place to ensure that any remaining soil will not turn into slippery mud during wet
weather?
(5) Is it intended to use water to wash away any remaining soil?
(6) How will harbour traffic be warned of cascading brown water from the bridge over a three hour
period?
(7) How will the Premier ensure the bridge structure and sub-deck will not be stained brown from the
soil wash?
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