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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-03-07 Daily Xml
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KNIGHT, PROF. J.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health and Ageing, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for Defence Industries, Minister for Veterans' Affairs) (14:06): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: SAICORP, the state government's insurer, has, under instructions from the Minister for Finance, settled a claim for $3.7 million and $600,000 costs against the state by a former public sector employee and the former head of the cardiothoracic surgical unit at Flinders Medical Centre, Mr John Knight. Mr Knight's claim was commenced last year about events that first arose four years ago at the Flinders Medical Centre.

Mr Knight was suspended from public duties and remained suspended pending the finalisation of a long-running Coroner's inquest following the death of patient Vera Allan, which resulted in no adverse finding relating to Mr Knight's conduct and a subsequent decision that no disciplinary action would be taken.

The Coroner found that the cause of death was 'Severe cardiogenic shock complicating cardiac surgery'. He also made several recommendations in connection to the Flinders Medical Centre in particular about procedures around the intensive care unit. SA Health has advised me that it has accepted all the recommendations of the Coroner and is implementing those recommendations.

Mr Knight's claim was for alleged losses in excess of $5 million, principally associated with the impact of his suspension and the subsequent non-renewal of his contract. SAICORP has now reached a final resolution of this matter with Mr Knight, and Mr Knight has agreed to discontinue his claims. Under the terms of SA Health's insurance arrangements, the department is liable for only the first $1 million of the claim.

Today, following this settlement and the earlier coronial inquest, I announce that I have approached Mr Warren McCann, Commissioner for Public Sector Employment, to carry out an independent review of the circumstances in which it is appropriate for a suspension of a clinician or health care worker to be made. Mr McCann will be reporting directly to me on this review.

The review will also consider the efficacy and appropriateness of any policies, procedures and processes in SA Health around suspensions. It will recommend any changes to policies, procedures or processes that should be in place to ensure that our patients continue to receive safe and appropriate care, while balancing the interests of the clinicians and health care workers involved.

SA Health has a duty of care to its patients. On occasion, this may require the organisation to take appropriate, conservative action to ensure the wellbeing of our patients and staff. This review will provide further advice on how this should occur, whilst also ensuring the rights of clinicians and health care workers are adequately protected. I have also requested that SA Health provide an update on the implementation of the recommendations of the Coroner.

The SPEAKER: Questions—the leader.

Members interjecting:

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