Dental Health Practitioners
Public dental health services increased in every year from 2002-03 to 2006-07, with the introduction of a Dental Therapist in 2003-04 and additional staff days per month for the dental officer in the shire. In 2007-08 Dental Officer days more than half while Therapist days increased to a 6 year high.
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Total Staff Days per Month, East Pilbara(S)
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2002-03
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2003-04
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2004-05
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2005-06
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2006-07
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2007-08
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Dental Officer
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4.1
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4.1
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16.3
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21.7
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30.3
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14.6
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Dental Therapist
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0.0
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3.3
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5.6
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5.6
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1.7
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7.5
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Source: WA Department of Health
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Mental Health Practitioners
East Pilbara(S) offers a relatively small mental health service, based in Newman. A consulting psychiatrist is available 2 days out of every 3 months, and a shared full-time mental health nurse services Tom Price as well as Newman. From 2004, a further full-time Indigenous mental health worker assisted the mental health nurse service.
From 1998 to 2006, the number of hospitalisations due to mental health disorders fluctuated somewhat. Numbers peaked in 2001, followed by a general downward trend.
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