Chemotherapy Treatment Error

The Hon. S.G. WADE (14:37): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Health in relation to chemotherapy dosing.

Leave granted.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: The Coroners Court is currently considering deaths relating to the chemotherapy dosing bungle. The minister is personally represented by counsel, Mr Golding, and a series of separate counsels representing SA Health staff involved. My questions are:

1. Has the minister been briefed on SA Health's case to the Coroners Court proceedings?

2. Why did the minister's counsel support efforts by counsel for a staff member of SA Health to stop admission of evidence in relation to the case of Mr Andrew Knox?

3. What confidence can the community have that there has been any change in culture in SA Health, when the government supports efforts to keep the focus narrow, rather than take every effort to learn every lesson?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse) (14:38): I thank the honourable member for his question. I simply repeat my earlier remarks regarding chemotherapy underdosing. My first focus in this particular area, as minister having taken on this portfolio and set of responsibilities, along with my office, is to ensure that we go about the business of implementing the recommendations from the various independent inquiries that have looked into this issue. That has to be our focus. The coronial inquiry will run its course, and it should do so in accordance with the respective rules and due process that the Coroners Court will undoubtedly comply with.

My focus, as Minister for Health, is to get on with the business of implementing the recommendations that we have at hand in order to ensure that we can reinstate quality clinical governance regimes as best as we possibly can, so that we can prevent such incidents occurring in the future. That has to be the firm focus of people in positions of responsibility.

I have no doubt that the honourable member would seek to reagitate this issue repeatedly. I trust he does so not with political objectives in mind but, rather, with a sincere public policy objective. We are utterly transparent around what has occurred up to this time. That is why I was very keen to put on the record my remarks about my perspective as the new Minister for Health on the chemotherapy underdosing error. We have to acknowledge the failings that have occurred up to this point because only then can we be serious about getting on with the business of ensuring that we honour the recommendations of the various independent inquiries, with the view of preventing such an incident occurring in the future.