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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-03-16 Daily Xml
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COVID-19 Vaccination Rollout

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (14:38): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Health and Wellbeing regarding health.

Leave granted.

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE: Dr David Pope, President of SASMOA and an ED doctor, has revealed a text message bungle that resulted in doctors and nurses not receiving their vaccine appointment times. Dr Pope told Seven News on Sunday, and I quote:

I was going to have a vaccination yesterday and I never received a text message from the system. [It is] greatly slowing down the vaccination rollout. I have to say that frontline staff are being let down.

My questions to the minister are:

1. What steps have been taken to rectify bungles in the vaccine notification system resulting in doctors missing their vaccine appointments?

2. How many frontline clinicians missed appointments for their vaccines because they did not receive text messages due to the technology issue?

3. What South Australian GP practices will be delivering COVID vaccines, with phase 1b set to commence in just six days' time?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:40): I am advised that Northern Adelaide Local Health Network staff in the phase 1a priority group are sent an email inviting them to book their vaccination appointment. A reminder text message is sent 48 hours and 24 hours before appointments. So far, I am advised, staff who have received their vaccinations within 24 hours of booking it online have not received a text message because of the proximity of one to the other. A small number of staff have missed appointments, and all have received calls from the clinic to rebook, with most receiving their vaccination the same day.

I specifically repudiate the suggestion that that has slowed down the rollout at the Lyell McEwin Hospital. In that context, I specifically note that Lyell McEwin Hospital was actually ahead of their forecast in terms of the administration of vaccines at the Lyell McEwin Hospital. I commend them for that, and I don't think it's appropriate that the opposition should peddle false criticism of our public health team.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Ms Bourke has a supplementary.

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