❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice regarding the Al Kuwait docking and COVID-19 risk management, specifically focusing on communication protocols and responsibilities within the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC).
AnsweredQoN 6220Legislative Assembly
Asked
16 June 2020
Member
Portfolio
Premier; Minister for Public Sector Management; State Development, Jobs and Trade; Federal-State Relations
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Al Kuwait docking in WA on Friday 22 May 2020, and the COVID-19 matters related to this vessel, and ask: (a) Will the Premier table all briefing notes he has received from relevant
departments in relation to the issue of managing the COVID-19 risk
related to this vessel: (i) If not why not; (b) Can the Premier confirm an email from a federal department related to health issues on the Al Kuwait was sent to the Public Health Emergency
Operations Centre (PHEOC) prior to the Al Kuwait docking in Fremantle
port; (c) How many staff work in the PHEOC; (d) How many email addresses does the PHEOC have; (e) Who reads the generic emails that are sent to the PHEOC; (f) How regularly are those generic emails monitored: (i) During the working week; (ii) After hours during the working week; and (iii) On weekends and public holidays; (g) Is it true that other emails into the PHEOC are directly to a person; (h) Is it usual for a critical matter necessitating an email to the PHEOC to be sent to the ‘generic email’ address: (i) If not, why not, and who should it be sent to; (i) Does the agreed protocol established between the state and the federal
government dictate use of the generic email as appropriate for
communicating information such as that sent by a federal department in
relation to the Al Kuwait matter; (j) Who is responsible for monitoring the generic email address of the PHEOC; (k) Was the email from the federal department to the PHEOC read prior to the Al Kuwait docking in Fremantle; (l) What was the position title of the highest ranking WA official who saw
the email from the federal department to the PHEOC prior to the Al
Kuwait docking in Fremantle; (m) What was the position title of the highest ranking official who saw the
email from the federal department to the PHEOC after the docking of the
Al Kuwait and before public disclosure of the COVID-19 risk by Keith
McCorriston on Sunday, 24 May 2020; and (n) When was the Premier's office first notified of the issues of potential COVID-19 on the Al Kuwait?
departments in relation to the issue of managing the COVID-19 risk
related to this vessel: (i) If not why not; (b) Can the Premier confirm an email from a federal department related to health issues on the Al Kuwait was sent to the Public Health Emergency
Operations Centre (PHEOC) prior to the Al Kuwait docking in Fremantle
port; (c) How many staff work in the PHEOC; (d) How many email addresses does the PHEOC have; (e) Who reads the generic emails that are sent to the PHEOC; (f) How regularly are those generic emails monitored: (i) During the working week; (ii) After hours during the working week; and (iii) On weekends and public holidays; (g) Is it true that other emails into the PHEOC are directly to a person; (h) Is it usual for a critical matter necessitating an email to the PHEOC to be sent to the ‘generic email’ address: (i) If not, why not, and who should it be sent to; (i) Does the agreed protocol established between the state and the federal
government dictate use of the generic email as appropriate for
communicating information such as that sent by a federal department in
relation to the Al Kuwait matter; (j) Who is responsible for monitoring the generic email address of the PHEOC; (k) Was the email from the federal department to the PHEOC read prior to the Al Kuwait docking in Fremantle; (l) What was the position title of the highest ranking WA official who saw
the email from the federal department to the PHEOC prior to the Al
Kuwait docking in Fremantle; (m) What was the position title of the highest ranking official who saw the
email from the federal department to the PHEOC after the docking of the
Al Kuwait and before public disclosure of the COVID-19 risk by Keith
McCorriston on Sunday, 24 May 2020; and (n) When was the Premier's office first notified of the issues of potential COVID-19 on the Al Kuwait?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
12 August 2020
Response time
7 days
(a) There were no briefing notes prepared for the Premier regarding the docking of the Al-Kuwait.
(b) Yes.
(c) Currently, there are 75 staff in the PHEOC.
(d) PHEOC has two generic email addresses. The primary email address ([email protected] ) is widely published and used for most correspondence. A s econdary email address is used for specific communications between PHEOC and WA Police, and is not public. The matters raised in these Parliamentary Questions relate to communications received by the primary PHEOC Health email address only.
(e) A member of the PHEOC Administration team.
(f) The PHEOC inbox is monitored as follows:
(i) Monday to Friday, 8am – 5pm.
(ii) Not monitored.
(iii) 8am – 4pm.
(g) Emails to staff working in PHEOC may be addressed directly to that individual; to the PHEOC generic email address and marked attention to the individual; or to both addresses.
(h) Critical matters are usually alerted to the PHEOC via email to [email protected], with a follow up phone call, or notification in person.
(i) Not applicable.
(i) Issues regarding attention by a Human Biosecurity Officer about maritime arrivals would usually be communicated by phone to a Human Biosecurity Officer within WA Health. However, following the docking of Al Kuwait, a protocol outlining the communication process between relevant agencies to assist with the detection of COVID-19 for maritime vessels arriving into Fremantle Port was developed and agreed to by the federal Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment, the Australian Border Force, the Fremantle Ports and the WA Department of Health. This communication plan dictates that information will be forwarded to the PHEOC generic email, with a phone call to follow if a response is not received within a specified time period or if a response is required out of normal PHEOC business hours.
(j) The PHEOC Administration Team.
(k) The PHEOC Administration Team received the email prior to the docking of the Al Kuwait at 1600 hours on 22 May. However, the Department of Health is unable to confirm if the PHEOC Operations Team read the email prior to docking.
(l) The Department of Health is unable to confirm the specific time the email was read, or by whom. On 22 May, the PHEOC Operations Team comprised persons working in the following roles: Senior Medical Advisor, Medical Registrar, and Senior Policy and Planning Officer.
(m) As above.
(n) 26 May 2020.
(b) Yes.
(c) Currently, there are 75 staff in the PHEOC.
(d) PHEOC has two generic email addresses. The primary email address ([email protected] ) is widely published and used for most correspondence. A s econdary email address is used for specific communications between PHEOC and WA Police, and is not public. The matters raised in these Parliamentary Questions relate to communications received by the primary PHEOC Health email address only.
(e) A member of the PHEOC Administration team.
(f) The PHEOC inbox is monitored as follows:
(i) Monday to Friday, 8am – 5pm.
(ii) Not monitored.
(iii) 8am – 4pm.
(g) Emails to staff working in PHEOC may be addressed directly to that individual; to the PHEOC generic email address and marked attention to the individual; or to both addresses.
(h) Critical matters are usually alerted to the PHEOC via email to [email protected], with a follow up phone call, or notification in person.
(i) Not applicable.
(i) Issues regarding attention by a Human Biosecurity Officer about maritime arrivals would usually be communicated by phone to a Human Biosecurity Officer within WA Health. However, following the docking of Al Kuwait, a protocol outlining the communication process between relevant agencies to assist with the detection of COVID-19 for maritime vessels arriving into Fremantle Port was developed and agreed to by the federal Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment, the Australian Border Force, the Fremantle Ports and the WA Department of Health. This communication plan dictates that information will be forwarded to the PHEOC generic email, with a phone call to follow if a response is not received within a specified time period or if a response is required out of normal PHEOC business hours.
(j) The PHEOC Administration Team.
(k) The PHEOC Administration Team received the email prior to the docking of the Al Kuwait at 1600 hours on 22 May. However, the Department of Health is unable to confirm if the PHEOC Operations Team read the email prior to docking.
(l) The Department of Health is unable to confirm the specific time the email was read, or by whom. On 22 May, the PHEOC Operations Team comprised persons working in the following roles: Senior Medical Advisor, Medical Registrar, and Senior Policy and Planning Officer.
(m) As above.
(n) 26 May 2020.
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