❓ Ms. Mettam (MLA) questions the WA Health Minister regarding the number of Severity Assessment Code 1 (SAC-1) incidents in Perth metropolitan and country hospitals for Jan-Mar 2024, including those resulting in death. The Minister provides data with caveats about comparability and ongoing investigations.
AnsweredQoN 1064Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Please provide the total number of Severity Assessment Code (SAC-1) incidents that were recorded by all hospitals in the Perth metropolitan area, in the months of January, February and March 2024, with a breakdown by each hospital site administered by the department? (2) Please provide the total number of SAC-1 incidents that were recorded by all hospitals in the country health areas, in the months of January, February and March 2024, with a breakdown by each hospital site administered by the department? (3) Please provide the total number of SAC-1 incidents recorded by all hospitals in the Perth metropolitan area, that resulted in death, in the months of January, February and March 2024, with a breakdown by each hospital site administered by the department? (4) Please provide the total number of SAC-1 incidents recorded by all hospitals in the country health areas, that resulted in death, in the months of January, February and March 2024, with a breakdown by each hospital site administered by the department?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
13 August 2024
Responded by
Minister for Health
Response time
21 days
SAC-1s are any event where health care, by commission or omission, could have or did contribute to serious harm or death – this includes physical and psychological harm. SAC-1 clinical incidents may have multiple contributing factors that may not be solely responsible for the patient harm caused.
It is challenging to compare SAC-1 rates between hospitals as different hospitals have different acuity and levels of activity. It is not possible to compare clinical incident data nationally due to the differences in data capture and the lack of standardised data definitions. There is no nationally agreed benchmark rate for clinical incidents.
Many of the SAC1 clinical incidents included in the data provided remain under investigation. Following the completion of an investigation, if no healthcare contributing factors are identified then an event may be determined not to be a clinical incident.
(1)
Hospital
Jan
2024
Feb 2024
Mar 2024
Armadale Health Service
<5
<5
0
Bentley Health Service
<5
<5
0
Fiona Stanley Hospital
9
7
5
Fremantle Hospital and Health Service
<5
<5
0
Joondalup Health Campus (Public Patients)
0
<5
<5
Osborne Park Hospital
<5
0
0
Rockingham Hospital
<5
0
<5
Peel Health Campus (Public Patients)
0
<5
<5
Perth Children’s Hospital
0
<5
0
Royal Perth Hospital
<5
7
<5
Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital
<5
<5
<5
St John of God Midland Public Hospital (Public Patients)
5
<5
0
St John of God Mt Lawley Hospital (Public Patients)
0
0
0
Women and Newborn Health Service
0
<5
<5
Total
32
28
14
Data provided in the table above includes incidents currently under investigation, excludes inactive records (declassification approved) and is correct as of 18 April 2024.
Hospital services include non-admitted, outpatient, community, and ambulatory services.
(2)
Hospital
Jan
2024
Feb 2024
Mar 2024
Albany Health Campus
0
0
<5
Bridgetown Hospital
0
<5
0
Bunbury Hospital
<5
<5
0
Busselton Hospital
0
<5
<5
Halls Creek Health Service
0
0
<5
Hedland Health Campus
0
<5
0
Kalgoorlie Hospital
0
<5
<5
Karratha Health Campus
0
<5
0
Katanning Hospital
<5
0
0
Margaret River Hospital
<5
0
0
Merredin Hospital
0
<5
0
Northam Hospital
<5
0
<5
Total
5
8
7
Data provided in the table above includes incidents currently under investigation, excludes inactive records (declassification approved) and is correct as of 19 April 2024.
Hospital services include non-admitted, outpatient, community, and ambulatory services.
Hospitals with no SAC1 clinical incidents notified during the requested period are not included in this table.
(3)
Hospital
Jan
2024
Feb 2024
Mar 2024
Armadale Health Service
0
<5
0
Bentley Health Service
0
0
0
Fiona Stanley Hospital
5
<5
<5
Fremantle Hospital and Health Service
<5
<5
0
Joondalup Health Campus (Public Patients)
0
0
0
Osborne Park Hospital
0
0
0
Rockingham Hospital
<5
0
0
Peel Health Campus (Public Patients)
0
0
0
Perth Children’s Hospital
0
<5
0
Royal Perth Hospital
<5
0
0
Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital
0
0
0
St John of God Midland Public Hospital (Public Patients)
<5
0
0
St John of God Mt Lawley Hospital (Public Patients)
0
0
0
Women and Newborn Health Service
0
0
0
Total
12
<5
<5
Data provided in the table above includes incidents currently under investigation, excludes inactive records (declassification approved) and is correct as of 18 April 2024.
Hospital services include non-admitted, outpatient, community, and ambulatory services.
(4)
Hospital
Jan
2024
Feb 2024
Mar 2024
Albany Health Campus
0
0
0
Bridgetown Hospital
0
0
0
Bunbury Hospital
<5
0
0
Busselton Hospital
0
0
<5
Halls Creek Health Service
0
0
0
Hedland Health Campus
0
<5
0
Kalgoorlie Hospital
0
<5
0
Karratha Health Campus
0
<5
0
Katanning Hospital
<5
0
0
Margaret River Hospital
<5
0
0
Merredin Hospital
0
0
0
Northam Hospital
0
0
<5
Total
<5
<5
<5
Data provided in the table above includes incidents currently under investigation, excludes inactive records (declassification approved) and is correct as of 19 April 2024.
Hospital services include non-admitted, outpatient, community, and ambulatory services.
It is challenging to compare SAC-1 rates between hospitals as different hospitals have different acuity and levels of activity. It is not possible to compare clinical incident data nationally due to the differences in data capture and the lack of standardised data definitions. There is no nationally agreed benchmark rate for clinical incidents.
Many of the SAC1 clinical incidents included in the data provided remain under investigation. Following the completion of an investigation, if no healthcare contributing factors are identified then an event may be determined not to be a clinical incident.
(1)
Hospital
Jan
2024
Feb 2024
Mar 2024
Armadale Health Service
<5
<5
0
Bentley Health Service
<5
<5
0
Fiona Stanley Hospital
9
7
5
Fremantle Hospital and Health Service
<5
<5
0
Joondalup Health Campus (Public Patients)
0
<5
<5
Osborne Park Hospital
<5
0
0
Rockingham Hospital
<5
0
<5
Peel Health Campus (Public Patients)
0
<5
<5
Perth Children’s Hospital
0
<5
0
Royal Perth Hospital
<5
7
<5
Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital
<5
<5
<5
St John of God Midland Public Hospital (Public Patients)
5
<5
0
St John of God Mt Lawley Hospital (Public Patients)
0
0
0
Women and Newborn Health Service
0
<5
<5
Total
32
28
14
Data provided in the table above includes incidents currently under investigation, excludes inactive records (declassification approved) and is correct as of 18 April 2024.
Hospital services include non-admitted, outpatient, community, and ambulatory services.
(2)
Hospital
Jan
2024
Feb 2024
Mar 2024
Albany Health Campus
0
0
<5
Bridgetown Hospital
0
<5
0
Bunbury Hospital
<5
<5
0
Busselton Hospital
0
<5
<5
Halls Creek Health Service
0
0
<5
Hedland Health Campus
0
<5
0
Kalgoorlie Hospital
0
<5
<5
Karratha Health Campus
0
<5
0
Katanning Hospital
<5
0
0
Margaret River Hospital
<5
0
0
Merredin Hospital
0
<5
0
Northam Hospital
<5
0
<5
Total
5
8
7
Data provided in the table above includes incidents currently under investigation, excludes inactive records (declassification approved) and is correct as of 19 April 2024.
Hospital services include non-admitted, outpatient, community, and ambulatory services.
Hospitals with no SAC1 clinical incidents notified during the requested period are not included in this table.
(3)
Hospital
Jan
2024
Feb 2024
Mar 2024
Armadale Health Service
0
<5
0
Bentley Health Service
0
0
0
Fiona Stanley Hospital
5
<5
<5
Fremantle Hospital and Health Service
<5
<5
0
Joondalup Health Campus (Public Patients)
0
0
0
Osborne Park Hospital
0
0
0
Rockingham Hospital
<5
0
0
Peel Health Campus (Public Patients)
0
0
0
Perth Children’s Hospital
0
<5
0
Royal Perth Hospital
<5
0
0
Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital
0
0
0
St John of God Midland Public Hospital (Public Patients)
<5
0
0
St John of God Mt Lawley Hospital (Public Patients)
0
0
0
Women and Newborn Health Service
0
0
0
Total
12
<5
<5
Data provided in the table above includes incidents currently under investigation, excludes inactive records (declassification approved) and is correct as of 18 April 2024.
Hospital services include non-admitted, outpatient, community, and ambulatory services.
(4)
Hospital
Jan
2024
Feb 2024
Mar 2024
Albany Health Campus
0
0
0
Bridgetown Hospital
0
0
0
Bunbury Hospital
<5
0
0
Busselton Hospital
0
0
<5
Halls Creek Health Service
0
0
0
Hedland Health Campus
0
<5
0
Kalgoorlie Hospital
0
<5
0
Karratha Health Campus
0
<5
0
Katanning Hospital
<5
0
0
Margaret River Hospital
<5
0
0
Merredin Hospital
0
0
0
Northam Hospital
0
0
<5
Total
<5
<5
<5
Data provided in the table above includes incidents currently under investigation, excludes inactive records (declassification approved) and is correct as of 19 April 2024.
Hospital services include non-admitted, outpatient, community, and ambulatory services.
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