❓ Hon Sue Ellery questions the Minister for Child Protection about protocols for notifying the Department when a deceased patient's body remains unclaimed. The Minister acknowledges a past mix-up and is reviewing the need for formal protocols, while also deflecting responsibility by questioning whether the previous government had such protocols in place.
AnsweredQoN 1073Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
department for child protection-Department of Health — deceased patient PROTOCOLS
(1) Are any protocols in place between the Department for Child Protection and the Department of Health to ensure that the Department for Child Protection is advised if nobody claims the body of a deceased patient after a certain period? (2) If not, will the minister ensure that such protocols are put in place? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY
(1) Are any protocols in place between the Department for Child Protection and the Department of Health to ensure that the Department for Child Protection is advised if nobody claims the body of a deceased patient after a certain period? (2) If not, will the minister ensure that such protocols are put in place? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(2) I thank the member for the question. When I answered the member’s last question, I said that the body was in the hands of the Public Trustee and that there was then a mix-up. Somehow it did not go to the department. I am looking into that because I only received that question today. I have asked whether there was a mix-up. Usually there is no need for protocols, because people understand that they can go to the department—they always have had that opportunity and always will—to get help. Hon Sue Ellery : There have been a number of cases whereby bodies, including that of an infant, have been in public morgues for a long period. It seems to me that an easy way to sort that out would be to ensure communication between the Department of Health and Department for Child Protection if after period X the body is still there. Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY : I am sure that the member’s government did that, did it not? I did not have those protocols, so the Leader of the Opposition must have just thought about it. As I said, I am presently looking at that to see how that mix-up occurred and whether there is a need to put measures in place.
(2) If not, will the minister ensure that such protocols are put in place? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: (1)-(2) I thank the member for the question. When I answered the member’s last question, I said that the body was in the hands of the Public Trustee and that there was then a mix-up. Somehow it did not go to the department. I am looking into that because I only received that question today. I have asked whether there was a mix-up. Usually there is no need for protocols, because people understand that they can go to the department—they always have had that opportunity and always will—to get help. Hon Sue Ellery : There have been a number of cases whereby bodies, including that of an infant, have been in public morgues for a long period. It seems to me that an easy way to sort that out would be to ensure communication between the Department of Health and Department for Child Protection if after period X the body is still there. Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY : I am sure that the member’s government did that, did it not? I did not have those protocols, so the Leader of the Opposition must have just thought about it. As I said, I am presently looking at that to see how that mix-up occurred and whether there is a need to put measures in place.
Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: (1)-(2) I thank the member for the question. When I answered the member’s last question, I said that the body was in the hands of the Public Trustee and that there was then a mix-up. Somehow it did not go to the department. I am looking into that because I only received that question today. I have asked whether there was a mix-up. Usually there is no need for protocols, because people understand that they can go to the department—they always have had that opportunity and always will—to get help. Hon Sue Ellery : There have been a number of cases whereby bodies, including that of an infant, have been in public morgues for a long period. It seems to me that an easy way to sort that out would be to ensure communication between the Department of Health and Department for Child Protection if after period X the body is still there. Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY : I am sure that the member’s government did that, did it not? I did not have those protocols, so the Leader of the Opposition must have just thought about it. As I said, I am presently looking at that to see how that mix-up occurred and whether there is a need to put measures in place.
(1)-(2) I thank the member for the question. When I answered the member’s last question, I said that the body was in the hands of the Public Trustee and that there was then a mix-up. Somehow it did not go to the department. I am looking into that because I only received that question today. I have asked whether there was a mix-up. Usually there is no need for protocols, because people understand that they can go to the department—they always have had that opportunity and always will—to get help. Hon Sue Ellery : There have been a number of cases whereby bodies, including that of an infant, have been in public morgues for a long period. It seems to me that an easy way to sort that out would be to ensure communication between the Department of Health and Department for Child Protection if after period X the body is still there. Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY : I am sure that the member’s government did that, did it not? I did not have those protocols, so the Leader of the Opposition must have just thought about it. As I said, I am presently looking at that to see how that mix-up occurred and whether there is a need to put measures in place.
Hon Sue Ellery : There have been a number of cases whereby bodies, including that of an infant, have been in public morgues for a long period. It seems to me that an easy way to sort that out would be to ensure communication between the Department of Health and Department for Child Protection if after period X the body is still there. Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY : I am sure that the member’s government did that, did it not? I did not have those protocols, so the Leader of the Opposition must have just thought about it. As I said, I am presently looking at that to see how that mix-up occurred and whether there is a need to put measures in place.
Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY : I am sure that the member’s government did that, did it not? I did not have those protocols, so the Leader of the Opposition must have just thought about it. As I said, I am presently looking at that to see how that mix-up occurred and whether there is a need to put measures in place.
As I said, I am presently looking at that to see how that mix-up occurred and whether there is a need to put measures in place.
(2) If not, will the minister ensure that such protocols are put in place? Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: (1)-(2) I thank the member for the question. When I answered the member’s last question, I said that the body was in the hands of the Public Trustee and that there was then a mix-up. Somehow it did not go to the department. I am looking into that because I only received that question today. I have asked whether there was a mix-up. Usually there is no need for protocols, because people understand that they can go to the department—they always have had that opportunity and always will—to get help. Hon Sue Ellery : There have been a number of cases whereby bodies, including that of an infant, have been in public morgues for a long period. It seems to me that an easy way to sort that out would be to ensure communication between the Department of Health and Department for Child Protection if after period X the body is still there. Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY : I am sure that the member’s government did that, did it not? I did not have those protocols, so the Leader of the Opposition must have just thought about it. As I said, I am presently looking at that to see how that mix-up occurred and whether there is a need to put measures in place.
Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY replied: (1)-(2) I thank the member for the question. When I answered the member’s last question, I said that the body was in the hands of the Public Trustee and that there was then a mix-up. Somehow it did not go to the department. I am looking into that because I only received that question today. I have asked whether there was a mix-up. Usually there is no need for protocols, because people understand that they can go to the department—they always have had that opportunity and always will—to get help. Hon Sue Ellery : There have been a number of cases whereby bodies, including that of an infant, have been in public morgues for a long period. It seems to me that an easy way to sort that out would be to ensure communication between the Department of Health and Department for Child Protection if after period X the body is still there. Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY : I am sure that the member’s government did that, did it not? I did not have those protocols, so the Leader of the Opposition must have just thought about it. As I said, I am presently looking at that to see how that mix-up occurred and whether there is a need to put measures in place.
(1)-(2) I thank the member for the question. When I answered the member’s last question, I said that the body was in the hands of the Public Trustee and that there was then a mix-up. Somehow it did not go to the department. I am looking into that because I only received that question today. I have asked whether there was a mix-up. Usually there is no need for protocols, because people understand that they can go to the department—they always have had that opportunity and always will—to get help. Hon Sue Ellery : There have been a number of cases whereby bodies, including that of an infant, have been in public morgues for a long period. It seems to me that an easy way to sort that out would be to ensure communication between the Department of Health and Department for Child Protection if after period X the body is still there. Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY : I am sure that the member’s government did that, did it not? I did not have those protocols, so the Leader of the Opposition must have just thought about it. As I said, I am presently looking at that to see how that mix-up occurred and whether there is a need to put measures in place.
Hon Sue Ellery : There have been a number of cases whereby bodies, including that of an infant, have been in public morgues for a long period. It seems to me that an easy way to sort that out would be to ensure communication between the Department of Health and Department for Child Protection if after period X the body is still there. Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY : I am sure that the member’s government did that, did it not? I did not have those protocols, so the Leader of the Opposition must have just thought about it. As I said, I am presently looking at that to see how that mix-up occurred and whether there is a need to put measures in place.
Hon ROBYN McSWEENEY : I am sure that the member’s government did that, did it not? I did not have those protocols, so the Leader of the Opposition must have just thought about it. As I said, I am presently looking at that to see how that mix-up occurred and whether there is a need to put measures in place.
As I said, I am presently looking at that to see how that mix-up occurred and whether there is a need to put measures in place.
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