Hon. Alanna Clohesy questions the Minister for Health regarding cancellations and delays of endoscopies and colonoscopies at Kalamunda Hospital on January 14, 2016, due to a specialist's uncommunicated leave. The Minister provides details on the number of affected patients and the resolution.

AnsweredQoN 9Legislative Council
Asked
16 February 2016
Portfolio
Health

QuestionView source ↗

KALAMUNDA
HOSPITAL — SURGERY
9. Hon ALANNA CLOHESY to the
parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Health:
I refer to the cancellation and
delays of multiple patients' endoscopies and colonoscopies on 14 January
2016 at Kalamunda Hospital.
(1) How many
patients in total on this date at Kalamunda Hospital either had their surgery
cancelled and/or deferred to later that day?
(2) Can the
minister confirm that these cancellations were caused by a rostered specialist
being on approved leave and the hospital not being aware of the leave until the
actual day?
(3) Were all the
endoscopy and colonoscopy patients able to have their procedures undertaken by
another specialist later that day?
(4) If no to (3), have all the
remaining patients from that day now had their procedures undertaken?

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1) Seven patients.
(2) The issue
arose because a specialist submitted his leave notification, but it was sent to
Swan District Hospital and when Swan District Hospital closed, the
notification, regrettably, was not passed on to Kalamunda Hospital. The
specialist is a non-salaried visiting medical practitioner and is not required
to have leave approved, only to notify relevant staff.
(3) No. Three
colonoscopy procedures were conducted later that day, on 14 January 2016. A
further three endoscopy procedures were done the following Monday, 18 January
2016, and one patient was referred to the patient's general
practitioner as they were deemed unsuitable for Kalamunda Hospital.
(4) Yes; refer to the answer at (3).

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