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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Second Session (51-2)
2008-06-03 Daily Xml
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WOMEN'S AND CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health, Minister for the Southern Suburbs, Minister Assisting the Premier in the Arts) (14:29): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.D. HILL: On 23 November last year, the Children Youth and Women's Health commissioned Professor David Roder of the Cancer Council of South Australia to conduct a review into the incidence of cancer amongst staff at the Women's and Children's Hospital.

The preliminary review investigated the incidence of cancer amongst female staff who were employed at the Women's and Children's Hospital campus during the eight-year period between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2007. Yesterday at 2pm during changeover of staff from morning to evening shift, staff were informed of the preliminary findings from this review.

Professor Roder has not yet completed his report as he believes more work is needed to verify the data. The preliminary findings show that there was no increase in the incidence of breast cancer for women working in the majority of areas in the hospital. However, an elevation of breast cancer cases was identified for women working in the Queen Victoria Building. That building was opened in 1995.

Professor Roder indicates that in the Queen Victoria Building over eight years there have been nine more cases of breast cancer than we would expect to see in a workforce of this size, and also that there have been eight fewer cancers diagnosed than would be expected for other cancer types. Professor Roder advises that all present indicators are that this unusual cancer pattern has been a random occurrence.

There is nothing unusual about the breast cancers in terms of their microscopic characteristics or the ages of the women affected, and that is the advice that he has provided. No link was found between breast cancer incidence and the length of time that staff at the Queen Victoria Building had been employed. There were a number of differences between these results and those of the ABC building in Brisbane. I am advised that, in Brisbane, the cancer elevation was at least six times higher than expected for a workforce of that size and age distribution.

Also the increase related mostly to younger women and the results showed that women who worked in that facility for longer had a greater risk of contracting cancer. Professor Roder is currently seeking the advice of international epidemiology experts to assist in finalising details of his report. In the meantime, the government will conduct an independent environmental audit of the Queen Victoria Building which opened, as I said, in 1995. However, at this stage, there is nothing in the preliminary findings that shows that the increase is caused by something in the actual building.

The audit will be undertaken by Health and Safety Environment, and I am advised that they will be starting next week. Yesterday both staff and the unions were briefed. Staff were briefed once the staff changeover began at 2pm to ensure that the largest number of staff would be available. I understand something like 150 staff attended. The public health system's first concern, of course, is for its staff, contract staff, volunteers and patients. While these results are only preliminary, I believe that staff—and the department certainly has that belief—have a right to know about issues relating to their personal health.

The hospital, of course, will continue to support its staff, contract staff and volunteers by providing counselling services for them and their family throughout this process. Of course, it is a timely reminder for all women, particularly in that age group, to ensure that they have regular checks through BreastScreen SA, which is a wonderful organisation, as I am sure all members would agree. I also table the three documents that were produced by the Children's, Youth and Women's Health Service yesterday. One is a media release entitled 'Epidemiology Expert Delivers Preliminary Findings'; another is a statement dated 2 June from the Acting Chief Executive entitled 'Preliminary Findings: Review of Incidence of Breast Cancer at WCH'; and the third is a general information sheet prepared for the staff Q&A entitled 'Information on the Independent Breast Cancer Review'.

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