❓ A WA parliamentary question addresses capacity issues at Albany Health Campus, including a potential business case for expansion, risk assessment by WACHS, and an incident involving an emergency department nurse working a triple shift. The Minister's response addresses each point, acknowledging the nurse's overtime and outlining mitigation strategies.
AnsweredQoN 645Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
ALBANY
HEALTH CAMPUS
645. Hon JAMES HAYWARD to the Leader of the House
representing the Minister for Health:
I refer to Albany
Health Campus.
(1) Can the
minister confirm that a business case has been submitted to Treasury by the WA
Country Health Service to expand the capacity of Albany Health Campus?
(2) Can the
minister confirm whether WACHS considers that capacity issues at Albany Health
Campus are a serious risk?
(3) Can the
minister confirm media reports that an emergency department nurse worked a triple
shift at Albany Health Campus?
(4) Will the
minister take personal responsibility for any adverse events that occur in
Albany as a result of capacity issues and overworked staff?
HEALTH CAMPUS
645. Hon JAMES HAYWARD to the Leader of the House
representing the Minister for Health:
I refer to Albany
Health Campus.
(1) Can the
minister confirm that a business case has been submitted to Treasury by the WA
Country Health Service to expand the capacity of Albany Health Campus?
(2) Can the
minister confirm whether WACHS considers that capacity issues at Albany Health
Campus are a serious risk?
(3) Can the
minister confirm media reports that an emergency department nurse worked a triple
shift at Albany Health Campus?
(4) Will the
minister take personal responsibility for any adverse events that occur in
Albany as a result of capacity issues and overworked staff?
AnswerView source ↗
(1) In the event
that a business case is submitted regarding a potential capital works project,
such documents would be considered cabinet-in-confidence.
(2) The WA Country Health Service continuously
assesses, monitors and mitigates risk across the organisation as part of
normal business operations. The WA Country Health Service has put in place a number
of mitigation strategies at Albany Health Campus to support service need,
including improved patient flow processes and a hospital avoidance program.
These initiatives support the whole patient journey from admission to discharge
and include hospital in the home services, engagement with a comprehensive care coordinator and long-term planning to
prevent potential unplanned readmissions. The WA Country Health Service
is also working with providers on discharge options, as well as exploring the
implementation of a discharge lounge.
(3)–(4) An
agency nurse with paediatric intensive care skills cared for a paediatric
patient one on one in a ward outside the emergency department for the majority
of their planned eight-hour shift while awaiting the patient's transfer to Perth. The WA Country Health Service has
investigated the matter and established that the hospital was not
short-staffed at the time and that direction was given to the nurse to finish
their shift as scheduled. However, due to the patient's transfer being
rescheduled to a later time in consultation with the family, and a miscommunication at handover between hospital
managers, the nurse worked more hours than they should have. The WA
Country Health Service has accepted responsibility for this outcome, apologised
and taken immediate action to ensure it does not happen again, including making
changes to the overtime protocol at the
hospital. The WA Country Health Service has also communicated openly and transparently with the Australian Nursing Federation on this matter.
Consistent with the Work Health and
Safety Act 2020, a person conducting a business or undertaking has a primary
duty of care to ensure the health and safety of workers while they are at work.
Workers also have a duty to take reasonable
care for their own safety and health, and to make sure their acts or omissions do not adversely affect the health or safety of others.
that a business case is submitted regarding a potential capital works project,
such documents would be considered cabinet-in-confidence.
(2) The WA Country Health Service continuously
assesses, monitors and mitigates risk across the organisation as part of
normal business operations. The WA Country Health Service has put in place a number
of mitigation strategies at Albany Health Campus to support service need,
including improved patient flow processes and a hospital avoidance program.
These initiatives support the whole patient journey from admission to discharge
and include hospital in the home services, engagement with a comprehensive care coordinator and long-term planning to
prevent potential unplanned readmissions. The WA Country Health Service
is also working with providers on discharge options, as well as exploring the
implementation of a discharge lounge.
(3)–(4) An
agency nurse with paediatric intensive care skills cared for a paediatric
patient one on one in a ward outside the emergency department for the majority
of their planned eight-hour shift while awaiting the patient's transfer to Perth. The WA Country Health Service has
investigated the matter and established that the hospital was not
short-staffed at the time and that direction was given to the nurse to finish
their shift as scheduled. However, due to the patient's transfer being
rescheduled to a later time in consultation with the family, and a miscommunication at handover between hospital
managers, the nurse worked more hours than they should have. The WA
Country Health Service has accepted responsibility for this outcome, apologised
and taken immediate action to ensure it does not happen again, including making
changes to the overtime protocol at the
hospital. The WA Country Health Service has also communicated openly and transparently with the Australian Nursing Federation on this matter.
Consistent with the Work Health and
Safety Act 2020, a person conducting a business or undertaking has a primary
duty of care to ensure the health and safety of workers while they are at work.
Workers also have a duty to take reasonable
care for their own safety and health, and to make sure their acts or omissions do not adversely affect the health or safety of others.
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