Health Services

Dental Health Practitioners

 

This data relates to the number of staff days per month the total public sector dental health service practitioners operate. The data does not include the staff time UWA Centre for Rural and Remote Oral Health provide to Roebourne as a visiting service.

 

Total Staff Days per Month, Pilbara Region

 

2002-03

2003-04

2004-05

2005-06

2006-07

2007-08

Dental Officer

42.0

29.0

44.9

58.9

57.9

55.5

Dental Therapist

49.4

83.4

80.8

65.4

70.2

52.1

   Source: WA Department of Health

 

The number of days per month the public sector dental staff were available to the Pilbara region has fluctuated over time. A lot of this relates to the Dental Service’s inability to attract qualified staff.

 

Total Staff Days per Month, Pilbara Region

 

2002-03

2003-04

2004-05

2005-06

2006-07

2007-08

Ashburton(S)

17.1

15.2

15.2

15.2

8.9

7.5

East Pilbara(S)

4.1

7.4

21.9

27.3

32.1

22.1

Port Hedland(T)

62.4

48.8

47.5

55.9

49.4

46.7

Roebourne(S)

7.8

41.2

41.2

26.0

37.7

31.3

  Source: WA Department of Health

 

When taking into account the relative size of the population in each shire, Ashburton(S) received a large proportion of this service, up until 2006-07. Port Hedland’s (T) has been able to maintain its service to the community between 2002-03 and 2007-08.

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Mental Health Practitioners

 

 

From 1996 to 2008, the number of mental health services available to the Pilbara community has been increasing, with additional staff joining the service over time.

 

 

Mental disorder hospitalisations climbed in incidence between 2000 and 2001, but have been steadily falling from that point to 2006.

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