ICAC Evaluation of the Central Adelaide Local Health Network

The Hon. C.J. PICTON (Kaurna—Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:07): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. C.J. PICTON: Yesterday, the Independent Commission Against Corruption released a report regarding its evaluation of the Central Adelaide Local Health Network's complaints processes. The commission announced its intention to conduct the evaluation on 28 April 2022. The commission indicated that the focus of the evaluation would be to assess the practices, policies and procedures of the network regarding the receipt, management, investigation and outcome of complaints.

The government immediately welcomed the investigation and made clear that we would of course provide our full cooperation. The evaluation was a timely opportunity to assess CALHN's policies and procedures around complaint management almost three years on from the release of the commission's 2019 investigation report into CALHN and the health system more broadly, Troubling Ambiguity. Now this new evaluation from the commission reviewed CALHN's receipt, management, investigation and outcomes of complaints made between October 2019 and March 2022—a three-year period marking most of the previous government's tenure.

The report makes 25 recommendations—nine addressed to CALHN and 16 to the Department of Health and Wellbeing—regarding improvements to the complaints management process. The government has accepted all 25 recommendations. As a responsible minister, I have made clear my expectation that both CALHN and the department will ensure that these recommendations are implemented as soon as possible.

The government has also instructed the Commissioner for Public Sector employment, Erma Ranieri, to oversee the implementation of the recommendations. The commissioner will receive regular reports on the progress of the department and CALHN's implementation of all 25 recommendations. I have also written to all governing board chairs of the other local health networks to advise them of the report and asked them to consider the recommendations in the context of their own organisations.

Let's be clear, bullying and harassment should have no place in our hospitals. Our hardworking frontline healthcare workers have the right to feel safe at work and they must be able to raise their concerns without fear of repercussion. The implementation of these recommendations will help to address harassment and bullying in the public health system and ensure that when complaints arise they are managed fairly and appropriately.