United Voice News
Disgraceful $1m wasted on privatisation plan
The LHMU believes it is appalling the government is wasting almost $1m on consultants to advise them on the privatisation of essential hospitals services at Fiona Stanley Hospital.
Cleaning, catering, orderly services, administration and hospital management are among the services which will be privatised by the Barnett government in the $1.76bn hospital.
Dave Kelly, secretary of the LHMU, said: “Our members can tell the government for nothing it won’t work.
“This is an outrageous waste of money. Privatising essential services at hospitals just doesn’t work and will prove to be bad for patient care. With the money for the consultants, it is already proving to be needlessly costly for the taxpayer too.
“Supposedly this government was trying to save money in its health budget last year, to the detriment of patient care and staff. However, it appears Kim Hames managed to find something extra for these privatisation experts.”
'Naughty'
However Mr Kelly said he was pleased the health minister was finally using the word “privatisation” in describing his plans for Fiona Stanley during Question Time in parliament yesterday.
“Colin Barnett has denied that services at Fiona Stanley will be privatised. On Wednesday he described any such reference to what is happening at Fiona Stanley as ‘naughty’.
“Well maybe he needs to punish his own health minister who used the word in relation to the hospital in parliament yesterday.
“The member for Jandakot Joe Francis could also do with an explanation because he doesn’t seem to believe privatisation is happening at Fiona Stanley either. He reckons he’s against it so perhaps he should back the members of his community who packed out a public meeting about the issue last week.”
Superbug outbreak
Mr Kelly added that there would be no need for consultants if the government remembered how bad the superbug outbreak of 2001 was in Royal Perth Hospital.
“The inadequate cleaning of wards was found to be a major factor in the spread of VRE throughout RPH. At this time, cleaning at the hospital was privatised and our members have horror stories about how cleaning standards dropped.
“In fact the specialised clean up after the outbreak ended up costing the taxpayer an extra $2.7m.”
