❓ Ms. Mettam questions the Minister for Health regarding statements made about the Yugovich family's engagement with CAHS after the death of Aliyah Yugovich at Perth Children's Hospital and the bereavement support offered. The Minister expresses sympathy, explains the ongoing investigations, and defends the appropriateness of raising the issue in question time.
AnsweredQoN 826Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PERTH CHILDREN'S
HOSPITAL — ALIYAH YUGOVICH
826. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Health:
I refer to the tragic death of
Aliyah Mae Yugovich at Perth Children's Hospital and the minister's
response yesterday that —
� Child and Adolescent Health Service
has tried to engage with the family and, quite rightly and understandably, they
have not been in a position to engage.
(1) Why did the
minister state that the family were not in a position to meet, when they have
in fact met with the Child and Adolescent Health Service several times and have
been completely engaged in the process?
(2) Why were the family not offered
any bereavement support by CAHS at this tragic time?
HOSPITAL — ALIYAH YUGOVICH
826. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Health:
I refer to the tragic death of
Aliyah Mae Yugovich at Perth Children's Hospital and the minister's
response yesterday that —
� Child and Adolescent Health Service
has tried to engage with the family and, quite rightly and understandably, they
have not been in a position to engage.
(1) Why did the
minister state that the family were not in a position to meet, when they have
in fact met with the Child and Adolescent Health Service several times and have
been completely engaged in the process?
(2) Why were the family not offered
any bereavement support by CAHS at this tragic time?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I want to start by, of course, extending my
sympathies to the Yugovich family. These are really very difficult circumstances that they are facing at the moment. A number of investigations
are underway. I am sad, and it saddens me, if any of the comments in question
time yesterday upset them. I genuinely wish them well. I certainly sincerely hope that the family understand that that
was not my intent. The member for Vasse at no point made it clear that
she was asking questions on behalf of the family. In fact, she referenced the
annual report in the context of the question. In that sense, question time is
an inherently political forum and I maintain that it is not the appropriate
forum to be asking these sorts of questions when authority to speak on behalf
of people is required. I am not authorised to obtain information from the
coroner. This information has not been shared with the government and has not
been shared either with my office or with the Child and Adolescent Health
Service. Third parties are only able to obtain information from the coroner
with expressed consent, and that consent has not been provided and I absolutely
respect that. I will not and cannot provide ongoing commentary on ongoing
investigations and I cannot comment on individual interactions with the health
service that may have happened with the family. I would ask the member for Vasse to not ask me to provide public
commentary while ongoing investigations are underway.
I certainly take the concerns of the
family very seriously. I, as minister, have always said and continue to say
that parents should always be heard. This is a complex investigation that needs
time to be undertaken. There is a coronial
investigation. There is an investigation over care that has been provided
across three sites that are run and owned by three different
organisations, and therefore it is taking some time. I reiterate, as I said
yesterday, that this is a terrible incident. It should not be fodder for
question time. I have extended the offer of
a briefing to the member for Vasse. I have not received a request for a briefing
from the member for Vasse and I encourage her to continue to seek a briefing
through appropriate channels.
sympathies to the Yugovich family. These are really very difficult circumstances that they are facing at the moment. A number of investigations
are underway. I am sad, and it saddens me, if any of the comments in question
time yesterday upset them. I genuinely wish them well. I certainly sincerely hope that the family understand that that
was not my intent. The member for Vasse at no point made it clear that
she was asking questions on behalf of the family. In fact, she referenced the
annual report in the context of the question. In that sense, question time is
an inherently political forum and I maintain that it is not the appropriate
forum to be asking these sorts of questions when authority to speak on behalf
of people is required. I am not authorised to obtain information from the
coroner. This information has not been shared with the government and has not
been shared either with my office or with the Child and Adolescent Health
Service. Third parties are only able to obtain information from the coroner
with expressed consent, and that consent has not been provided and I absolutely
respect that. I will not and cannot provide ongoing commentary on ongoing
investigations and I cannot comment on individual interactions with the health
service that may have happened with the family. I would ask the member for Vasse to not ask me to provide public
commentary while ongoing investigations are underway.
I certainly take the concerns of the
family very seriously. I, as minister, have always said and continue to say
that parents should always be heard. This is a complex investigation that needs
time to be undertaken. There is a coronial
investigation. There is an investigation over care that has been provided
across three sites that are run and owned by three different
organisations, and therefore it is taking some time. I reiterate, as I said
yesterday, that this is a terrible incident. It should not be fodder for
question time. I have extended the offer of
a briefing to the member for Vasse. I have not received a request for a briefing
from the member for Vasse and I encourage her to continue to seek a briefing
through appropriate channels.
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