❓ Mr Zempilas questions the Minister for Health regarding the exclusion of patients, parents, and frontline workers from the new reporting policy framework on lead and Legionella exceedences in public hospitals. The Minister responds by outlining the reporting process and emphasizing patient and staff safety.
AnsweredQoN 403Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Hospitals—Water testing
403. Mr Basil Zempilas to
the Minister for Health:
I refer to the
minister's new reporting policy framework that she outlined yesterday in the
chamber around lead and Legionella exceedences
at our public hospitals. Why is it that patients, parents and frontline workers
are not included?
403. Mr Basil Zempilas to
the Minister for Health:
I refer to the
minister's new reporting policy framework that she outlined yesterday in the
chamber around lead and Legionella exceedences
at our public hospitals. Why is it that patients, parents and frontline workers
are not included?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member
for the question. It is an opportunity to reiterate the process that I have
asked to be put in place so that we can receive important information about the
testing occurring in our health service providers (HSPs). As I said yesterday
and I reiterate today, the safety of our patients and staff remains of the
utmost importance to our government. I have asked the Director General of the
Department of Health to implement a requirement for all HSPs to regularly
report the results of their water testing regimes to the department, and,
importantly, I have asked that they immediately notify the Chief Health Officer
in writing when there is an exceedence of the Australian Drinking Water
Guidelines, which are the national standards in relation to this. As part of
this direction, the Chief Health Officer is going to report monthly to the
director general on any exceedences of lead, Legionella or other pathogens, and, importantly, I have made it clear that any exceedences
that present a risk to patients or staff will be formally reported to me as
minister. I would expect that as part of his advice, he will inform me of the
appropriate steps to take, and I will follow his advice on these matters.
for the question. It is an opportunity to reiterate the process that I have
asked to be put in place so that we can receive important information about the
testing occurring in our health service providers (HSPs). As I said yesterday
and I reiterate today, the safety of our patients and staff remains of the
utmost importance to our government. I have asked the Director General of the
Department of Health to implement a requirement for all HSPs to regularly
report the results of their water testing regimes to the department, and,
importantly, I have asked that they immediately notify the Chief Health Officer
in writing when there is an exceedence of the Australian Drinking Water
Guidelines, which are the national standards in relation to this. As part of
this direction, the Chief Health Officer is going to report monthly to the
director general on any exceedences of lead, Legionella or other pathogens, and, importantly, I have made it clear that any exceedences
that present a risk to patients or staff will be formally reported to me as
minister. I would expect that as part of his advice, he will inform me of the
appropriate steps to take, and I will follow his advice on these matters.
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