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No local staff

Posted By violetqe44

"No local staff"

About: Patient Assisted Travel Scheme - WACHS Pilbara

(as the patient),

For the past couple of years the PATS staff @ the Hedland Health Campus has dwindled down to one. In my opinion, that's not good enough WA Country Health.

We have a large cohort of people including our aboriginal elders and others that cannot complete the paperwork required. Please reinstate front facing people on the counter to assist those that struggle, and there's plenty of them out there. PATS Perth staff use a Hedland Health Campus street address, I feel that's not right, They are in Perth and that's a very different world to Hedland.

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Responses

Response from Tammie Joseph, District Director, East Pilbara, WA Country Health Service (WACHS) Pilbara 2 weeks ago
Tammie Joseph
District Director, East Pilbara,
WA Country Health Service (WACHS) Pilbara

Submitted on 9/06/2026 at 6:07 PM
Published on Care Opinion Australia on 10/06/2026 at 8:39 AM

Dear violetqe44

Thank you for taking the time to share your concerns regarding the Patient Assisted Travel Scheme (PATS) service at Hedland Health Campus. We recognise that for many patients having access to in-person assistance is a key part of being able to access PATS.

PATS services are delivered across Western Australia through a combination of locally available staff and staff located elsewhere. This ensures that for periods where staff are not available or demand increases, there are staff off site to ensure the PATS service continues.

In order to ensure access to the PATS service, WACHS is committed to the principle of a “No Wrong Door” to service delivery. This means that regardless of how or where a patient seeks help; whether in person, by phone, or through another service they should receive appropriate support and be actively assisted to access the help they need.

Please be assured that your feedback has been noted and will inform ongoing work to strengthen how the PATS service delivers on the “No Wrong Door” principles, including improving access locally and ensuring patients can get the assistance they need.

If you would like to discuss this further please do not hesitate to contact me via Tammie.Joseph@health.wa.gov.au or by phone on (08) 9174 1040.

Warm regards

Tammie Joseph

District Director East Pilbara

WA Country Health Service (WACHS) Pilbara

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