Page 92 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 16 February 1993

MINISTER FOR HEALTH

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY QUESTION

QUESTION 486

Cardiac Bypass Pumps – Purchase
and Disposal

Ms Szuty - asked the Minister for Health:

In relation to a recent article in the Canberra Doctor that after 1978 a cardiac bypass pump was purchased by the then ACT Health Commission

1. Was such a pump and associated equipment purchased according to ACT Health

Authority records; if so (a) where was it stored; (b) what has happened to the

pump and equipment; (c) when did the pump and equipment disappear from stock

inventories and (d) what efforts have been made to locate the pump.

2. What is the current cost of purchasing a bypass pump and associated equipment.

3. If there is no record of such a purchase, will the Minister take the matter up with

the Canberra Doctor.

4. If the ACT Government can ascertain that the pump did exist, and that it had been

taken without authorisation, would the Government then seek compensation from

the Federal Government, which had the responsibility at the time to administer the

ACT health system.

Mr Berry - the answer to Ms Szutys question is:

1. Seams bypass pumps and associated equipment were purchased for Canberra

Hospital in 1969. The pumps were to be mounted on a stainless steel trolley

manufactured by the Hospitals Instrument Workshop. Work on the project was

halted by direction of the then Clinical Superintendent, Dr Frank McGarn

(a) The equipment was initially stored in the Instrument Workshop Storeroom

at Canberra Hospital. Some years later, it was moved to Mitchell.

(b) It is believed that this equipment was disposed of in accordance with

Commonwealth "Board of Survey" guidelines in approximately 1975.

Accounting documentation, including asset and disposal records is only

retained for seven years and records for this period are therefore no longer

available.

(d) See l(b).