My adjournment matter this evening is directed to the Minister for Health, David Davis. It relates to Sea View House in Portland. As the minister would be aware, issues around the future of Sea View House have been the basis for community concern for at least the last 15 months or so. I have read the Paxton Partners and Ferrier Hodgson reports and the correspondence my office has received from residents, ex-residents and other community members. There has been a continual stream of letters to the editor on this issue in the Portland Observer, and that continues to be the case. As recently as 3 and 7 March more letters appeared in the paper. There were letters from M. Menzel and from Nicole Chapple from Portland, and Daryl Petch has written opinion pieces and several letters as well as letters to the minister and local member.
The degree to which this issue continues to be a concern, therefore, to a number of people in the region should not be underestimated. I also understand that community members have also attempted to make appointments with the local member for South-West Coast in the Assembly, Denis Napthine, and that those requests have not been acceded to.
Tonight I am seeking a written update from the minister on Sea View House about the issues raised in the correspondence, including the letters to the editor, and as to whether he has provided formal clearance for the closure of Sea View House and, if so, what the basis for that was.
I also seek an update in the written advice on the nature of the one-on-one management for each and every resident who has been or will be impacted on by this decision, where the residents have been relocated to and any other arrangements that have been put in place, as well as the formula that will be used to distribute the up-front fee paid by residents as they entered Sea View House or confirmation that the up-front fee will not be paid out and will remain in the hospital’s consolidated revenue.
