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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2018-10-16 Daily Xml
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Flinders Medical Centre

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (14:45): My question is to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing. Will the minister explain why, under his watch, a directive was sent out at the Flinders Medical Centre to move potentially contagious norovirus patients into an open ward against infection control guidelines?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:45): Norovirus is a common pathogen within the South Australian community, and isolated cases can occur. Year to date, we have had 17 isolated cases. However, none has resulted in an outbreak. The last outbreak was at the Flinders Medical Centre about 18 months ago.

Symptoms were first identified in four patients on Ward 4D on Thursday 27 September 2018; that is, prior to the long weekend. Over the long weekend, advice was sought from the infectious diseases consultant regarding appropriate management of the symptomatic patients. All patients with symptoms of gastroenteritis have had full infection control precautions implemented within the ward environment.

The FMC infection control service was notified on Tuesday 2 October 2018 of a number of patients in Ward 4D demonstrating symptoms of diarrhoea and vomiting. An initial investigation identified nine patients with systems and one positive norovirus result. As a result, an outbreak was determined and SA Health infection control standard guidelines and processes continued. FMC infection control services have been working with the affected wards and staff on a twice-daily basis, reviewing the patient environment and patient care areas.

The situation is resolving, with five patients with norovirus remaining on the ward, noting that none of them have been symptomatic in the last four days. An internal memo reported in the media on Friday 12 October was sent to a small group of nurse managers to explore flow of patients from the ED, with a particular focus on strategies to ensure patients do not remain in the ED for greater than 24 hours.

One of the suggestions outlined in the email for further discussion was following risk assessment with the FMC infection control service and executive to cohort low-risk infectious patients with the same infectious status. The email was not referring to the management of patients with gastroenteritis symptoms. SA Health infection control standard guidelines and processes and SALHN gastroenteritis outbreaks management processes are in place within FMC.

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