Page 1809 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 2 May 2012
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Mr Hanson: No, you’re not.
MS GALLAGHER: Yes, we are being up-front about them, Mr Hanson. Part of ensuring that the community retains confidence in health data is the fact that when problems are identified you are up-front about them, you respond to them and you also implement processes to make sure that the integrity of other data is checked as well. There is no evidence before anyone that there are any other problems with the data that is collected for health performance reporting. But I accept that we need to go and have a look at all of those data sets to ensure their integrity and retain the community’s confidence in that data.
I know staff at the hospital are working very hard on that. Not only are they seeing the patients every day and providing them with clinical treatment but they understand the importance of maintaining community confidence in the health system in the ACT. As health minister, I will work alongside them to do just that, particularly at a time when the opposition, who should be supporting the staff in the Health Directorate, seek to tear it down.
MR HARGREAVES: A supplementary, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mr Hargreaves.
MR HARGREAVES: Minister, have you been repeatedly advised over the last 22 months that such a problem existed and how long did it take you to act once you were informed?
MS GALLAGHER: As members would know, I meet with the Health Directorate frequently—weekly, if not more often when necessary. We have discussed data and data integrity a number of times, certainly from my point of view as minister, seeking assurances from the directorate that their processes are robust and that the data that is presented to me, and through me to the Assembly, is correct. I have been given assurances around that.
However, we accept that the health system, like any system which relies on humans to administer it and provide the service, is not perfect and there will be problems from time to time. The key issue then for the minister responsible is: how do you deal with that information? What do you do? How do you act? What do you do to make sure it never happens again? That is exactly what I have done. I provided the information to the community at the first available time that I was able to. We have provided all the information that we can.
Mr Smyth interjecting—
MS GALLAGHER: No, Mr Smyth; that is not correct. If you have any evidence about that, stand up and move a substantive motion. Go on, have another go; lose another motion. Go on, have another go; provide no evidence and lose another motion.
Members interjecting—
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