Page 932 - Week 03 - Thursday, 10 March 2005
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
Mr Corbell: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:
(1) The review into clinical governance has been completed and once the report is submitted a decision will be made on public release of the findings and recommendations. The review into workplace environment has been finalised and as you would be aware the recommendations and the Government’s response was sent to all MLAs on 17th December 2004.
(2) The allegations that sparked the review into the Alcohol and Drug Program were specific to the Program. There is no intention at this stage to review all alcohol and drug services in the ACT.
(3) The clinical governance review team was chosen by ACT Health after liaison with appropriate clinical leaders interstate. There were three reviewers; their interests covered expertise in clinical governance of health services, specific clinical expertise in provision of drug and alcohol services, and management as well as policy expertise in regional and state wide provision of drug and alcohol services. The make-up of the review team was designed to provide ACT Health with a balanced and authoritative report on clinical governance of our Community Health Alcohol and Drug Program. ACT Health did not undertake a request for tender.
(4) All the recommendations from the Acumen report on probity are being implemented. One of the recommendations was to conduct an investigation into alleged fraudulent activity at the Belconnen Remand Centre and this investigation has been completed.
(5) Clients with outstanding debt have been sent statements advising of the amount outstanding and requesting them to pay the outstanding amount or enter into an agreement to repay the amount. Clients who dose at the public clinic at a cost of $15 per week are requested to pay when they present for dosing. The public clinic is not refusing treatment to those people who do not pay their weekly fee or who have an outstanding debt.
(6) Staff have participated in variety of training and workshops: child protection training; understanding corporate and clinical governance; effective case work and case management; case management – developing an evidence base; occupational health and safety risk and management; client safety; mastering difficult interactions; management for clinicians; change management; The Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and Other Drugs (APSAD) Conference; leaders of change; mastering difficult interactions; benzodiazepine training; skills training in dialectical behaviour therapy; emotional fitness; substance abuse during pregnancy; work place trainer certificate 4 in work place training; and family drug support conference. Staff have received studies assistance to undertake tertiary studies: Bachelor of Community Education (x2); and, Bachelor of Social Work (x2). One staff member has been funded to complete Graduate Certificate of Public Sector Management.
(7) All Registered and Enrolled Nurses are required to complete annual credentialing in: CPR; Venipuncture; Manual Handling; Professional Assault Response Training; and, Opioid Treatment Service medication administration. This process has been reinstated within the past two years. In addition to this, staff access other training: staff supervision; interview skills; preceptorship; substance use in pregnancy; grief counselling; mental health/Comorbidity; and sexual health. There is a weekly in-service calendar generated by Clinical Nurse Consultants that provides opportunities for nurses, medical staff and our stakeholders to provide updates. At present approximately one third of nursing staff are enrolled in post graduate courses and also enrolled nurse medication and registered
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .