Flinders Medical Centre Norovirus Patients

In reply to Mr PICTON (Kaurna) (16 October 2018).

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN (Stuart—Minister for Energy and Mining): The Minister for Health and Wellbeing has advised that:

An internal memo was sent to a small group of Nurse Managers to explore patient flow from the emergency department (ED) with a focus on ensuring patients do not remain in the ED for longer than 24 hours.

One of the suggestions outlined in the memo was, following risk assessment by the Flinders Medical Centre (FMC) Infection Control Service and executive, to cohort low risk infectious patients with the same infectious status. This particular suggestion was not pursued or implemented. The memo was not referring to management of patients with Gastroenteritis symptoms.

SA Health infection control standard guidelines and processes and the South Australian Local Health Network gastroenteritis outbreak management processes are in place within FMC.

There are measures in place for staff to raise any concerns related to patient safety. Recent Norovirus cases have been tracked and monitored through this mechanism.

No instruction has been issued to staff about speaking publicly on the risk of Norovirus outbreak.