The risks posed to patients and staff by ongoing problems with sterilisation services and other systemic issues at Perth’s Fiona Stanley Hospital will be the focus of an inquiry by a powerful parliamentary committee.
The Education and Health Standing Committee resolved to hold the inquiry yesterday, shortly after non-clinical services provider Serco was stripped of responsibility for sterilising medical instruments at the tertiary facility.
The committee had received a request to examine the management and operation of the hospital from Deputy Opposition Leader Roger Cook.
The committee has three Labor members and two Liberal members, including the chair Graham Jacobs and another former Barnett Government minister Murray Cowper.
Dr Jacobs said the inquiry would last about three months and make recommendations to Parliament.
He said the committee would decide its specific terms of reference on Wednesday.
“However, they will be in and around management and operational matters at Fiona Stanley that have implications on risks to patients and obviously staff, and potentially also some financial implications,” he said.
Serco’s sterilisation issues to be examined
Among other issues, Dr Jacobs said the committee would look at Serco’s handling of sterilisation services.
The Health Department will take over responsibility for that area after Serco was issued with two breach notices when blood and tissue was found on instruments and sterilised equipment was not returned to operating theatres on time.
“We believe there are probably other matters that may be systemic that we should look at,” Dr Jacobs said.
“It’s really the management and operation of the hospital. My specific terms of reference will come out in the next few days.”
Last month, Fiona Stanley Hospital patient Jared Olsen died after falling into a coma.
Mr Olsen had irritable bowel syndrome and suspected Crohn’s disease, and his family believed he was prescribed the wrong medication at the hospital.
There have also been blowouts on surgical waiting lists, ongoing IT problems, and the Emergency Department is straining to keep up with much larger-than-expected demand, with at least one consultant quitting.
The Acting Director General of Health Bryant Stokes has also highlighted delays in delivering intravenous drips and other medical supplies to wards.
Internal review of patient complaints by expert
Health Minister Kim Hames has also announced a 15-day expert review of clinical services would determine if patient complaints about treatment at the hospital were isolated incidents or part of a deeper problem.
Yesterday, Professor Stokes said, in hindsight, more scrutiny could have been applied to the use of private contractors to provide critical clinical services.
In February last year, then-under treasurer Tim Marney revealed Treasury was only given two weeks to scrutinise Serco’s $4.3 billion contract for Fiona Stanley Hospital before it went to Cabinet.
He said Treasury was usually given between six and 12 months to scrutinise contracts of that size, but in this instance, it was given “extremely limited visibility” of the contract.
Dr Hames yesterday said patient safety was more important than trying to preserve the contract.
Serco will still have responsibility for 24 other non-clinical services at the hospital, and the private contractor said it would remain focused on delivering high standards of performance in those areas.
However, the Health Services Union, which represents supervisors at the hospital’s sterilisation service, wants all Serco’s non-clinical services to be scrutinised as well.
“You’ve got the orderlies, domestic services, portering services at the hospital, which are provided by Serco, that do have an impact on the clinical staff, including our members, to provide professional services,” the union’s state secretary Dan Hill said.