Question Time

Noarlunga Hospital

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Leader of the Opposition) (14:19): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Health and Wellbeing about hospitals.

Leave granted.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: The United Workers Union has revealed today that sterilisation technicians at Noarlunga Hospital have been directed to re-use single-use face shields. My questions to the minister are:

1. Does the minister think it's appropriate that staff, who are responsible for sterilising hospital equipment, are being directed to breach PPE guidelines?

2. Will the minister commit to meeting with a delegation of concerned hospital staff from Flinders Medical Centre and Noarlunga Hospital who are concerned about infection control breaches?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:20): I thank the honourable member for his question. There could never have been a period in the history of our state—perhaps back to the early 1900s—but certainly in the last two years we have become incredibly more aware of the need for infection control in the context of COVID-19. We all remember the challenges the nation faced in terms of the supply of personal protective equipment for medical and health services. I would be very surprised—in fact, very disappointed—if hospitals were giving directions contrary to the established infection control protocols. I will certainly seek further information on that.