Page 3916 - Week 12 - Thursday, 29 October 2015
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of the Health Directorate for investigation and the matter was subsequently referred back to the Auditor-General, who investigated the PID from November 2013 to February 2014.
This investigation found there had been no maladministration as defined by the PID Act. However, some concerns did arise and the Auditor-General ceased the investigation of the PID and instead commenced a performance audit. The focus of the audit was the administration of referrals and triaging, with the period being 1 January 2012 to 30 September 2013.
The committee decided in this case not to do a full inquiry into the report. Following the briefing that we received from the Auditor-General and the information that was given to us as to what the department had done to improve the service, the committee has decided—and I will read the recommendation:
The Committee recommends that the Government provide an update to the Legislative Assembly on the progress of implementing the Auditor-General’s recommendations of Report No. 4 of 2014: Gastroenterology and Hepatology Unit, Canberra Hospital by the last sitting day in March 2016.
The committee is aware of the significant amount of work that had been undertaken by the directorate to improve services. If you look at appendix A, which lists the recommendations, the Auditor-General had made two recommendations. Recommendation 1 had five parts to it which asked the Health Directorate to improve the governance of the GEHU by the things listed. Recommendation 2 from the auditor was that the Health Directorate should develop and implement an action plan to reduce the GEHU outpatient waiting list and guide GEHU in providing the best possible patient care. The plan lists a number of actions. There are 12 or 15 actions listed.
We have decided that we believe the government is making progress in this area. We do not pretend that we have the full answer yet, and, as we did with the data tampering scandal report, we have decided to take a watching brief and we have asked the government, as per the recommendation, to respond by the end of March so that we can then make a final decision as an Assembly, or indeed as the PAC, as to the effectiveness of the activity that the government has undertaken.
Again this report started under the stewardship of Dr Cullen as our secretary, and I thank her for that. Ms Kate Harkins has stepped in, in Andrea’s absence, and Greg and Lydia helped out. To the members—to Ms Porter, the deputy chair, and to Ms Lawder and Ms Fitzharris—I would say thank you for your efforts in putting the report together.
I say to the government that I will be writing formally on behalf of the committee, but could we please have a report by March to tell us about the effectiveness of the implementation of what has been promised. The public accounts committee will keep its watching brief on this issue.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
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