❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice regarding snakebite antivenom availability in regional WA, revealing current stock locations, costs, and ongoing measures to improve access. Some data requests were unmet due to system limitations.
AnsweredQoN 1020Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
SNAKEBITES —
ANTIVENOM
1020. Hon RICK MAZZA to the parliamentary secretary
representing the Minister for Health:
I refer to The Sunday Times article of 28 October titled ''Family snakebite anger'' about a near-fatal
king brown snake bite south of Southern Cross.
(1) Which Western Australian
regional health centres currently stock antivenom?
(2) How many reported snakebites
have there been in the past five years in regional WA?
(3) How many of these snakebites
resulted in the death of the patient?
(4) How many
snakebite victims required the Royal Flying Doctor Service due to no antivenom
being available locally?
(5) What is the cost of a single dose
of antivenom?
(6) What measures is the minister
taking to ensure antivenom is widely available in regional areas?
ANTIVENOM
1020. Hon RICK MAZZA to the parliamentary secretary
representing the Minister for Health:
I refer to The Sunday Times article of 28 October titled ''Family snakebite anger'' about a near-fatal
king brown snake bite south of Southern Cross.
(1) Which Western Australian
regional health centres currently stock antivenom?
(2) How many reported snakebites
have there been in the past five years in regional WA?
(3) How many of these snakebites
resulted in the death of the patient?
(4) How many
snakebite victims required the Royal Flying Doctor Service due to no antivenom
being available locally?
(5) What is the cost of a single dose
of antivenom?
(6) What measures is the minister
taking to ensure antivenom is widely available in regional areas?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1) Of the 81 WA
Country Health Service facilities, 69 currently stock antivenom.
I seek leave to have the
list of facilities incorporated into Hansard .
Leave granted.
The
following material was incorporated —
� Albany
� Dongara
� Lake Grace
� Beverley
� Esperance
� Laverton
� Boddington
� Exmouth
� Lenora
� Bridgetown
� Fitzroy Crossing
� Manjimup
� Broome
� Geraldton
� Marble Bar
� Bruce Rock
� Gnowangerup
� Margaret River
� Bunbury
� Goomalling
� Meekatharra
� Busselton
� Halls Creek
� Menzies
� Carnarvon
� Harvey
� Merredin
� Collie
� Jurien Bay
� Moora
� Coral Bay
� Kalbarri
� Morawa
� Corrigin
� Kalgoorlie
� Mt Barker
� Cue
� Karratha
� Mt Magnet
� Cunderdin
� Kellerberrin
� Mullewa
� Dalwallinu
� Kondinin
� Narembeen
� Denmark
� Kununoppin
� Narrogin
� Derby
� Kununurra
� Newman
� Norseman
� Port Hedland
� Tom Price
� Northam
� Quairading
� Wagin
� Northampton
� Ravensthorpe
� Wongan Hills
� Onslow
� Roebourne
� Wyalkatchem
� Paraburdoo
� Southern Cross
� Yalgoo
� Pingelly
� Three Springs
� York
(2) WACHS is not able to provide this data within the requested
time frame and asks for this part of the question to be put on notice.
(3) WACHS is again unable to provide this data as this information
is not readily available on its system.
(4) WACHS is unable to provide this data as this information is
not readily available on its system. However, WACHS facilitates aeromedical
transfer to tertiary facilities of envenomed patients who present to a small
hospital for definitive treatment, which may include antivenom and medical and
nursing care.
(5) The cost for the five major antivenoms stocked is: $361 per
phial for brown snake antivenom; $1 587 per phial for black snake antivenom;
$453 per phial for tiger snake antivenom; $1 617 per phial for death adder
antivenom; and $2 348 per phial for polyvalent antivenom.
(6) WACHS has
been reviewing its guidelines since July 2018, following changes to the
management of snake envenomation at a national level and the availability of
specialist medical support through the emergency telehealth service, which has
enabled more comprehensive assessment of suspected snakebite patients in
country health services. WACHS is progressively expanding antivenom stock
across the 81 sites to ensure the availability and use of antivenom in patients
who present with symptoms of snakebite envenomation. Snake envenomation is
complex and not all manifestations of envenomation are able to be treated with
antivenom. Antivenom administration is not without risks including variable
rates of anaphylaxis—up to 40 per cent for some antivenoms. WACHS
supports the minimum stock levels defined by the WA Therapeutic Advisory Group
critical medicines list for the antivenom. However, it has been determined that
an expanded availability of antivenoms can be supported.
some notice of the question.
(1) Of the 81 WA
Country Health Service facilities, 69 currently stock antivenom.
I seek leave to have the
list of facilities incorporated into Hansard .
Leave granted.
The
following material was incorporated —
� Albany
� Dongara
� Lake Grace
� Beverley
� Esperance
� Laverton
� Boddington
� Exmouth
� Lenora
� Bridgetown
� Fitzroy Crossing
� Manjimup
� Broome
� Geraldton
� Marble Bar
� Bruce Rock
� Gnowangerup
� Margaret River
� Bunbury
� Goomalling
� Meekatharra
� Busselton
� Halls Creek
� Menzies
� Carnarvon
� Harvey
� Merredin
� Collie
� Jurien Bay
� Moora
� Coral Bay
� Kalbarri
� Morawa
� Corrigin
� Kalgoorlie
� Mt Barker
� Cue
� Karratha
� Mt Magnet
� Cunderdin
� Kellerberrin
� Mullewa
� Dalwallinu
� Kondinin
� Narembeen
� Denmark
� Kununoppin
� Narrogin
� Derby
� Kununurra
� Newman
� Norseman
� Port Hedland
� Tom Price
� Northam
� Quairading
� Wagin
� Northampton
� Ravensthorpe
� Wongan Hills
� Onslow
� Roebourne
� Wyalkatchem
� Paraburdoo
� Southern Cross
� Yalgoo
� Pingelly
� Three Springs
� York
(2) WACHS is not able to provide this data within the requested
time frame and asks for this part of the question to be put on notice.
(3) WACHS is again unable to provide this data as this information
is not readily available on its system.
(4) WACHS is unable to provide this data as this information is
not readily available on its system. However, WACHS facilitates aeromedical
transfer to tertiary facilities of envenomed patients who present to a small
hospital for definitive treatment, which may include antivenom and medical and
nursing care.
(5) The cost for the five major antivenoms stocked is: $361 per
phial for brown snake antivenom; $1 587 per phial for black snake antivenom;
$453 per phial for tiger snake antivenom; $1 617 per phial for death adder
antivenom; and $2 348 per phial for polyvalent antivenom.
(6) WACHS has
been reviewing its guidelines since July 2018, following changes to the
management of snake envenomation at a national level and the availability of
specialist medical support through the emergency telehealth service, which has
enabled more comprehensive assessment of suspected snakebite patients in
country health services. WACHS is progressively expanding antivenom stock
across the 81 sites to ensure the availability and use of antivenom in patients
who present with symptoms of snakebite envenomation. Snake envenomation is
complex and not all manifestations of envenomation are able to be treated with
antivenom. Antivenom administration is not without risks including variable
rates of anaphylaxis—up to 40 per cent for some antivenoms. WACHS
supports the minimum stock levels defined by the WA Therapeutic Advisory Group
critical medicines list for the antivenom. However, it has been determined that
an expanded availability of antivenoms can be supported.
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