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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-05-04 Daily Xml
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Ministerial Statement

Port Augusta Hospital

The Hon. C.J. PICTON (Kaurna—Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:01): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. C.J. PICTON: I inform the house that a doctor without registration worked in the Port Augusta Hospital emergency department for a total of six days across the period Monday 24 April to Tuesday 2 May. A separate clinician, a locum doctor supervising the emergency department at the time of this matter, has been stood down pending further investigation.

I am advised that the original doctor had been offered a place as an intern with the Flinders and Upper North Local Health Network and had been undertaking limited education sessions in Whyalla pending the granting of his registration. On Tuesday 2 May, the doctor was offered limited registration as a medical practitioner with conditions by the South Australian Board of the Medical Board of Australia and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Authority.

I am advised that the doctor had previously been registered and worked as a doctor in Australia and overseas. I am further advised that the doctor had previously faced disciplinary action. The Flinders and Upper North Local Health Network has advised that the unregistered doctor is believed to have directly treated at least 15 patients. The hospital is now in the process of contacting these patients directly and has already contacted 11 patients. At this stage, the hospital advises they are not aware of any adverse clinical outcomes to patients.

The matter has been referred to South Australia Police, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Authority and other investigative bodies for further action. As of yesterday, investigation has commenced under the leadership of AHPRA's Criminal Offences Unit. I was advised of this matter yesterday by SA Health chief executive, Dr Robyn Lawrence. I have requested a full independent investigation, to be led by an independent expert. The findings of that investigation will be made public.

Even before the result of this investigation, I have demanded urgent action from the governing board of the Flinders and Upper North Local Health Network to address shortcomings in local processes. The incident is completely unacceptable and should never have happened. To the patients of Port Augusta, I assure you that this government is taking this matter incredibly seriously and acting quickly to do everything we can to prevent such an occurrence happening again.

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