Royal Adelaide Hospital

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Leader of the Opposition) (14:34): My next question is to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing. I seek leave to make a brief explanation before directing a question.

Leave granted.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: It is reported that at the Royal Adelaide Hospital we have seen an unexpected spike in infections from hip and knee surgery that has caused SA Health to cancel, as has been reported, 27 elective hip and knee replacement surgeries at the new hospital in recent weeks. It has been reported that there are infection rates three to four times above the accepted level for these procedures. My questions to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing are:

1. When did he as minister first became aware of this issue?

2. When did his ministerial office first become aware of this issue?

3. What steps has the minister directed be taken to fix this problem?

4. Why has the health and wellbeing minister not issued a public statement and instead tried to hide this issue?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:35): I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his questions. Through the clinical governance processes at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, it was noted that there was a significant increase in infection rates following the opening of the new RAH in September 2017. I am advised that this correlates to an infection rate of 3.5 per cent, which is above the expected rate for the surgery, which is 1 per cent or less. So it was identified internally and it has been addressed.

As a precaution orthopaedic surgeons have postponed hip and knee replacement surgeries at the Royal Adelaide Hospital for this week and next. Work is underway to maximise patient safety by ensuring that infection prevention and control requirements are met within the areas where this surgery is performed. Work is underway to reschedule those surgeries as soon as possible, and it is planned for some surgeries to be undertaken at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, depending on the availability of surgeons and beds.

Emergency and urgent surgery is continuing as per normal, and all other elective surgery is expected to go ahead as planned. A group has been established to try to identify the possible causes and develop an action plan to resolve the matter. In terms of when I was advised, I was advised orally late last week, and I was provided with a parliamentary briefing note this week.