Page 1568 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 10 May 2017
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Canberra Hospital—emergency patient discharge
MS LAWDER: My question is to the Minister for Health: were any patients hastily discharged from the Canberra Hospital because of, during or immediately after the recent fire?
MS FITZHARRIS: As I have mentioned previously on a number of occasions, 60 patients were discharged on the evening of the fire. It is certainly not my understanding that any of them were “hastily discharged”. They were all discharged under clinical guidance and only on the advice of a doctor.
MS LAWDER: Minister, what reports have you requested and/or received about the clinical implications resulting from the fire, or what assurances have you been given that all patients were managed to clinical standards?
MS FITZHARRIS: I sought clear assurances that the safety of patients, their families and staff was the number one priority of ACT Health on the evening. It is always the number one priority of clinicians, nurses, midwives and other health professionals working in our system. I sought assurances at every point available to me that that was the case and received those assurances at every point. I certainly acknowledge that it was an unsettling evening for people who were in Canberra Hospital at the time. The only patients discharged were discharged under clinical guidance on the advice of a doctor.
MRS DUNNE: Minister, were all discharge procedures done in accordance with clinical standards? Have you received assurances on all of the 60 cases or are there any that you have concerns about?
MS FITZHARRIS: I believe that they were all discharged under clinical guidance, as I have noted on a number of occasions, and no concerns have been brought to my attention.
Canberra Hospital—electrical systems
MS LEE: My question is to the Minister for Health. Minister, in response to a question from Mr Hanson on 16 September 2015, Mr Corbell advised the Assembly:
… the circumstances in relation to 9 September related to a malfunction in an electrical safety switchboard at the Canberra Hospital which was overheating and was causing potential disruption to electrical supply to significant parts of the hospital.
Minister, did an investigation following this incident indicate that parts of the Canberra Hospital’s electrical system were extreme or high risk?
MS FITZHARRIS: I am sorry; I did not follow the initial part of the question referencing September 2015. Could you repeat the question?
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