Ministerial Statement

KEITH AND DISTRICT HOSPITAL

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health and Ageing, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Arts) (14:02): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.D. HILL: I express my condolences to the family and friends of a patient who died in Flinders Medical Centre on 1 May after first presenting at Keith and District Hospital on the morning of Saturday 28 April. I am advised that the 72-year-old gentleman presented at 8.45am at the hospital's regular Saturday morning medical clinic complaining of abdominal symptoms that had been deteriorating over the previous two weeks.

The patient was seen by the general practitioner at 9am and assessed as being low risk. He was given medication to ease his symptoms and he remained at the hospital for observation. With the medication having little effect, the general practitioner subsequently assessed the patient as needing to be admitted. As the patient did not have private health insurance, the general practitioner organised an admission for the Bordertown Hospital, which is a 30 minute drive from Keith.

The patient was provided with a prescription, and he left the hospital building just before 11.30am (2½ hours after he saw the doctor) with the intention of having the prescription filled and then being driven by a waiting friend to Bordertown Hospital for the planned admission. However, he experienced sudden pains that limited his mobility, as I understand it. At this stage, the patient was within approximately 200 metres of the emergency entrance to the Keith and District Hospital; in other words, he had not really left.

The patient's friend returned to the hospital where an ambulance officer was present. An ambulance was called to transfer the patient during which time the ambulance officer assisted him. The patient was brought to the emergency area of Keith and District Hospital at 11.30am (just a few minutes later) and was reassessed by the general practitioner. The GP's clinical assessment was that the patient was experiencing an acute bowel obstruction, and the GP organised for the patient to be transferred by air ambulance to the Flinders Medical Centre, which took place at approximately 3.30pm on Saturday 28 April 2012.

Sadly, the patient passed away at Flinders Medical Centre three days later on 1 May, with the suspected cause of death, stated by doctors, as severe septic shock and multiple organ failure. If an incident occurs in a public hospital that results in or contributes to the death of a patient, it is categorised as a safety assessment code 1 event and it must be investigated. All SAC 1 incidents undergo a detailed and thorough investigation.

This includes action taken (that is, a summary of investigations, tests ordered and associated results), impact on patient outcomes, resource implications and recommendations to prevent recurrence. Recommendations resulting from investigations are generally presented to the clinical team involved in the care of the patient and at relevant staff meetings to ensure that all staff are aware of the action being taken to improve safety and to minimise the potential for recurrence.

Non-government hospitals, such as Keith, may have different reporting systems but, according to the accreditation standards required by any hospital in Australia, there must be a protocol in place to deal with and investigate adverse events. In this case, the patient underwent two operations at Flinders Medical Centre, and the matter has been referred to the Coroner because the gentleman died within 24 hours of having an anaesthetic. The Coroner will make a determination as to whether he will take it to inquest, and SA Health will await the Coroner's advice.

The state government recognises the importance to the Keith community and its surrounding areas of having access to emergency care close to home. This is why we have guaranteed a continued accident and emergency service at the Keith hospital to ensure medical on-call services are available outside of normal business hours. I will continue to work in good faith with the board and the Chief Executive Officer of the Keith and District Hospital to ensure that the hospital can continue to serve its community. Only yesterday, I met with Keith and District Hospital Board Chairman, James DeBarro, and CEO, Bill Hender, and we had a very positive discussion about options to keep the hospital viable.