❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice regarding COVID-19 testing in regional and remote areas, including transportation times, turnaround times, and testing numbers. The Minister provides data and explanations.
AnsweredQoN 302Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS — TESTING — REGIONAL
AREAS
302. Hon JACQUI BOYDELL to the parliamentary secretary
representing the Minister for Health:
I refer to the testing of patients for COVID-19.
(1) How is the WA Country Health Service supporting
communities that do not have a local WACHS hospital or nursing post to
provide a testing service?
(2) What is
the average transportation time from each of the state's nine regions
to the PathWest laboratories?
(3) What is the average time for a result from a test once it
reaches the PathWest laboratory?
(4) How many
tests have been assessed from each of the state's nine regions and how
many are positive to date from each region, and could they please be broken
down by region?
(5) How many
tests have been undertaken in Aboriginal and remote communities and how many
are positive to date?
AREAS
302. Hon JACQUI BOYDELL to the parliamentary secretary
representing the Minister for Health:
I refer to the testing of patients for COVID-19.
(1) How is the WA Country Health Service supporting
communities that do not have a local WACHS hospital or nursing post to
provide a testing service?
(2) What is
the average transportation time from each of the state's nine regions
to the PathWest laboratories?
(3) What is the average time for a result from a test once it
reaches the PathWest laboratory?
(4) How many
tests have been assessed from each of the state's nine regions and how
many are positive to date from each region, and could they please be broken
down by region?
(5) How many
tests have been undertaken in Aboriginal and remote communities and how many
are positive to date?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the
question. I note that the information provided was accurate as of Tuesday, 31
March.
(1) The WA
Country Health Service has worked with our health partners to ensure that
COVID-19 tests are able to be undertaken at all Silver Chain remote area
nursing posts, Aboriginal medical services and the Royal Flying Doctor Service where it provides a clinical service and
when the patients meet the COVID-19 testing criteria.
(2) The
transportation time from each region varies day to day depending on a number of
factors. The information provided on average transport time is in tabular form,
set by region and average transport time, and I seek leave to have that
incorporated into Hansard .
Leave granted.
The
following material was incorporated —
Region
Average transportation
time
Kimberley
8 hours
Pilbara
9 hours
Goldfields
12 hours
Wheatbelt
8 hours
Great Southern
10 hours
South West
8 hours
Midwest
10 hours
(3) Turnaround
times for COVID-19 samples are up to 72 hours from when they are received in
the laboratory, with many factors influencing the turnaround time on a daily
basis. Currently, testing is being completed within 24 hours.
(4) Information
about regional testing numbers as at 12.30 pm on 31 March 2020 is in tabular
form, by region, total tests and number positive. I seek leave to have that
table incorporated into Hansard .
Leave granted.
The following material was
incorporated —
Region
Total tests
Number positives
Kimberley
188
6
Pilbara
222
4
Goldfields
153
3
Wheatbelt
213
4
Great Southern
226
7
South West
757
8
Midwest
261
2
Total
2020
34
(5) PathWest
testing data is reported by region, and Aboriginal and remote communities are
included in these numbers.
question. I note that the information provided was accurate as of Tuesday, 31
March.
(1) The WA
Country Health Service has worked with our health partners to ensure that
COVID-19 tests are able to be undertaken at all Silver Chain remote area
nursing posts, Aboriginal medical services and the Royal Flying Doctor Service where it provides a clinical service and
when the patients meet the COVID-19 testing criteria.
(2) The
transportation time from each region varies day to day depending on a number of
factors. The information provided on average transport time is in tabular form,
set by region and average transport time, and I seek leave to have that
incorporated into Hansard .
Leave granted.
The
following material was incorporated —
Region
Average transportation
time
Kimberley
8 hours
Pilbara
9 hours
Goldfields
12 hours
Wheatbelt
8 hours
Great Southern
10 hours
South West
8 hours
Midwest
10 hours
(3) Turnaround
times for COVID-19 samples are up to 72 hours from when they are received in
the laboratory, with many factors influencing the turnaround time on a daily
basis. Currently, testing is being completed within 24 hours.
(4) Information
about regional testing numbers as at 12.30 pm on 31 March 2020 is in tabular
form, by region, total tests and number positive. I seek leave to have that
table incorporated into Hansard .
Leave granted.
The following material was
incorporated —
Region
Total tests
Number positives
Kimberley
188
6
Pilbara
222
4
Goldfields
153
3
Wheatbelt
213
4
Great Southern
226
7
South West
757
8
Midwest
261
2
Total
2020
34
(5) PathWest
testing data is reported by region, and Aboriginal and remote communities are
included in these numbers.
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