Page 1161 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 2 April 2019
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
now that you have had an opportunity to read this email, will you correct the record? If not, why not?
MS FITZHARRIS: Yes, I will. I intended to do so at the end of question time but, given that the opportunity has arisen, I will answer Mrs Dunne’s question and correct the record. It was the case that I had said that no complaints had been received regarding this feedback. What would have been more accurate at the time would have been to say that initial advice to me was that there had been no consumer complaints but that I had requested CHS to undertake a review.
In addition, I would also like to update the Assembly that CHS also advised me on 13 March that on the evening of 12 March they held a meeting with all maternity staff in relation to a range of issues that had been expressed in media reporting. At that meeting the CEO restated the clear guidelines for obtaining patient consent before conducting an examination. The CEO reminded staff of their professional obligations, including duty of care, to report any concern about the way vaginal examinations are conducted with appropriate consent from patients within the organisation.
The CEO also reminded staff that there are many avenues through which to raise a concern and they should feel safe to use any of those avenues if they have a concern that needs to be followed up. CHS also took the opportunity to urgently remind staff, via an email, of the policies and processes regarding consent for any procedures.
I have asked CHS to review all complaints relating to examinations without consent. As Mrs Dunne indicated, I received an email on Saturday—an anonymous email—relating to a patient complaint to CHS. I understand that Mrs Dunne has also seen that email. She will be aware that it is very difficult to follow up on the content of that email. But I am very assured that CHS has taken appropriate action regarding this very serious matter.
MRS DUNNE: Minister, when did you first find out that the information you gave the Assembly on 21 March—that no such incident occurred—was wrong?
MS FITZHARRIS: I will review my statement of 21 March, but it was when I received the email, upon coming in to the office yesterday.
MR COE: Minister, when did you find out that a meeting took place on 12 March about this incident?
MS FITZHARRIS: I will be clear: I was advised on 13 March that there had been a meeting of maternity staff on 12 March to discuss a range of issues that were raised in media reports and in one submission to the current inquiry into maternity services, an inquiry which, I note, has received a number of submissions but which has not yet had the opportunity to have public hearings. There was cause for concern, which I know that members are aware of, based on a statement from CHS and further commentary from the Health Care Consumers Association on the particular way in which a number of issues were raised in media reporting on the Canberra Day public holiday and subsequent to that.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video