❓ Ms. Mettam questions the Minister for Health about the lack of progress on "Malakai's Rule" following a preventable death in 2016. The Minister deflects blame, citing previous government inaction and outlining steps taken to improve the CARE system.
AnsweredQoN 113Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
HEALTH — CARE SYSTEM — FATALITIES
113. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Health:
In 2016, following the preventable
death of Malakai Paraone —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Sorry, member.
It is difficult for members to hear because of the interjections. I ask you to
please start again.
Ms L. METTAM : In 2016,
following the preventable death of Malakai Paraone at Princess Margaret
Hospital for Children, the now minister said his death should be honoured with
a rule. Why has the minister failed to deliver on his commitment to ''Malakai's
Rule''?
113. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Health:
In 2016, following the preventable
death of Malakai Paraone —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Sorry, member.
It is difficult for members to hear because of the interjections. I ask you to
please start again.
Ms L. METTAM : In 2016,
following the preventable death of Malakai Paraone at Princess Margaret
Hospital for Children, the now minister said his death should be honoured with
a rule. Why has the minister failed to deliver on his commitment to ''Malakai's
Rule''?
AnswerView source ↗
I might ask the question: why did the
Liberal–National government not do it, since I was in opposition at the
time? The Liberals were in government, so why did they not see it as important
to implement it? The fact of the matter is that when we came to government, I asked
the department for a briefing on the Call and Respond Early, or CARE, system. I was assured that Hon John Day had
taken care of these matters subsequent to the passing of Malakai , and I took
the department at its word. However, after further investigation I realised
that we had seven disparate systems all around the health services; I think
that was in about 2018. I insisted that the department overhaul the system in
about mid-2018 to make sure that it was part of a single system that was easily
understood and well promoted. That work was done at my insistence.
With the passage of time, I lost
touch with Malakai's family. From that perspective, I was still
committed to the outcome—that is, to
make sure that parents have a system whereby they can elevate their concerns in
the event that they feel that their family member is not getting proper
care. Subsequent to the Aishwarya Aswath case, we have done further work to
make sure that we continue to improve that system. So, member, do not come into
this place and accuse me of doing nothing when you did nothing when you were in
office!
Liberal–National government not do it, since I was in opposition at the
time? The Liberals were in government, so why did they not see it as important
to implement it? The fact of the matter is that when we came to government, I asked
the department for a briefing on the Call and Respond Early, or CARE, system. I was assured that Hon John Day had
taken care of these matters subsequent to the passing of Malakai , and I took
the department at its word. However, after further investigation I realised
that we had seven disparate systems all around the health services; I think
that was in about 2018. I insisted that the department overhaul the system in
about mid-2018 to make sure that it was part of a single system that was easily
understood and well promoted. That work was done at my insistence.
With the passage of time, I lost
touch with Malakai's family. From that perspective, I was still
committed to the outcome—that is, to
make sure that parents have a system whereby they can elevate their concerns in
the event that they feel that their family member is not getting proper
care. Subsequent to the Aishwarya Aswath case, we have done further work to
make sure that we continue to improve that system. So, member, do not come into
this place and accuse me of doing nothing when you did nothing when you were in
office!
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