NSW health minister Ryan Park announces bulk billing for radiotherapy and oncology in Wagga, responding to lobbying from MP Joe McGirr
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00:00 Mr Speaker, my question is to the Minister for Health and Regional Health.
00:07 Minister, this year in June I tabled a petition signed by more than 12,000 people calling
00:11 for the elimination of out-of-pocket costs for patients undergoing radiotherapy treatment
00:16 in Wagga Wagga.
00:17 Minister, what progress has there been made on delivering on this issue of equity for
00:22 patients seeking cancer treatment in my electorate?
00:25 Thank you, Mr Speaker, and thank you, the Member for Wagga, for your question.
00:32 I think this entire House would agree that our Chamber is better because of your input.
00:40 We are better as a health system because of your efforts, particularly in relation to
00:44 regional, rural and remote health.
00:46 I want to thank you for leading that, and for all of those committee members who are
00:51 making sure that we deliver improvements to health services right across New South Wales,
00:56 but in particular for those people living in rural, regional and remote areas where
01:03 I don't think for such a long time they have had the focus on health care that they need
01:08 and deserve.
01:09 The Member is right.
01:10 He came and spoke to me about this issue.
01:12 I met with him down in his office.
01:15 I've had multiple discussions with him about this issue.
01:18 This is an issue of equity, not being able to provide cancer treatment services through
01:24 a bulk billing model.
01:26 I engaged with New South Wales Health.
01:28 I wasn't happy with the initial response around this issue, and I thought that we as a government
01:35 and as a society, this was a basic tenement of health care, that if someone needed access
01:41 to cancer treatment, then that should be done in a way that is affordable and manageable
01:46 for them.
01:48 I didn't want a cancer diagnosis to become a financial crisis as well as a health crisis,
01:54 which sometimes it can be with the level of treatment people have.
02:01 Upon that engagement, we moved to a model of sending out an expression of interest to
02:07 see who would be interested in providing such services.
02:12 As a result of that expression of interest, a number of operators came back.
02:18 We will now be releasing a tender for people and organisations to bid on.
02:26 That will be open in early December.
02:29 It will be closed during January.
02:32 We will then select the proponent and start to deliver those services as quickly as possible.
02:40 It will be radiation therapy, medical oncology, but also medical oncology support services
02:48 to outreach.
02:49 That is very important in regional, rural and remote areas.
02:56 In acknowledging the enormous effort from the member for Wagga, I also want to outline
03:03 that the delivery of services, particularly cancer services, in regional, rural and remote
03:08 areas is particularly important to me.
03:12 During the landmark regional and rural health inquiry that the member for Wagga, I was asked
03:17 to provide a report on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rural health.
03:18 I was asked to provide a report on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rural health.
03:19 I was asked to provide a report on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rural health.
03:20 I was asked to provide a report on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rural health.
03:21 I was asked to provide a report on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rural health.
03:22 I was asked to provide a report on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rural health.
03:23 I was asked to provide a report on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rural health.
03:24 I was asked to provide a report on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rural health.