Page 2770 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 21 September 2022
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(4) How many staff were working at that oncology unit.
(5) How many staff working in the oncology unit were relocated to other areas within ACT Health.
(6) Were any staff made redundant; if so, how many.
(7) How many specialist doctors were working at the oncology unit.
(8) How many specialist doctors were relocated to other areas within ACT Health.
(9) Were any specialist doctors made redundant; if so, how many.
Ms Stephen-Smith: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:
(1) In 2020, Calvary Public Hospital Bruce reviewed the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care 2020 Guidelines for Medication Management in Cancer Care and advised the ACT Health Directorate that the hospital would not be able to meet accreditation standards for governance (medical support and comprehensive care) for oncology and haematology services. It was agreed that rectifying the identified gaps would have been resource intensive and some would not be able to be met in the short to medium term. Following consultation, a phased approach to delivering all hospital-based chemotherapy, medical oncology and haematology outpatient services at the Canberra Region Cancer Centre was implemented.
(2) The average number of patients receiving cytotoxic chemotherapy at Zita Mary Clinic was:
(a) 2.6 patients per week in 2020-21
(b) 1.9 patients per week in 2021-22
(c) Less than one patient per week in July 2022.
(3) Calvary Public Hospital Bruce collaborated with Canberra Health Services and the ACT Health Directorate on the transition of chemotherapy services from the Zita Mary Clinic to the Canberra Region Cancer Centre.
Some lower acuity transfusion therapy activity was transferred from Canberra Hospital to Zita Mary Clinic through this change as well.
Consultations occurred between 14 July and 13 August 2021. Changes were implemented following the consultation period. The last patient received chemotherapy at Zita Mary Clinic on 21 July 2022.
(4) There were and continue to be five nurses working at the Zita Mary Clinic.
(5) Canberra Region Cancer Centre offered to accommodate those staff from Zita Mary Clinic who wished to continue to work in chemotherapy care. One staff member chose to move from Zita Mary Clinic to Canberra Region Cancer Centre.
(6) No staff were made redundant.
(7) Up to four oncologists were referring patients to the Zita Mary Clinic for cytotoxic chemotherapy treatment.
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