Perth Children's Hospital—Water testing
386. Mr Basil Zempilasto theMinister for Health:
I refer to the positive lead results at Perth Children's Hospital in 2023–24 and more recently.
(1) When was the latest round of testing conducted?
(2) What is the level at which the minister would consider exceedences would present a risk to patients and staff?
(3) Why were parents and staff not notified promptly, on Friday 5 September, of the five further exceedences at Perth Children's Hospital that the minister announced today?
The Speaker: One of those questions asked the Minister for Health for an opinion. If the minister would just like to disregard that in her response.
Ms Meredith Hammat replied:
Thank you very much, Speaker.
(1)–(3) Today I made a brief ministerial statement about Perth Children's Hospital, acknowledging the concerns that might have arisen from newspaper headlines last week, for patients, parents and staff at that hospital. In making that statement, I made it clear that Perth Children's Hospital has a rigorous water testing program in place because of the well-documented issues with lead contamination when that hospital was constructed. The Child and Adolescent Health Service undertakes regular testing, and in every instance in which exceedences are identified, those exceedences are remediated by the Child and Adolescent Health Service. As I said in my statement, it was late on Friday afternoon that the Department of Health advised my office that it learnt of five further exceedences from Perth Children's Hospital in the latest round of testing, which was conducted in August. The sites of those exceedences have been decommissioned while they undergo remediation.
I want to be clear, as I was in the statement I made earlier today, that I have received advice from the Chief Health Officer that there is no risk to the safety of patients and staff as a result of those exceedences. It is important that testing takes place so that we can identify exceedences when they occur and take steps to rectify them immediately. But I acknowledge the concerns that arise for patients, parents and staff. That is why I have issued a direction to the Director General of the Department of Health to implement a requirement for health service providers to regularly report the results of their water testing regimes to the department and to immediately notify the Chief Health Officer in writing when there is an exceedence of the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines. As part of this direction, the Chief Health Officer will be required to report monthly to the director general on any exceedences of lead, Legionella or other pathogens detected and how they have been rectified. I have been clear that any exceedences that present a risk to patients or staff will be formally reported to me, as minister, as a matter of urgency.
387. Mr Basil Zempilasto theMinister for Health:
I have a supplementary question.
How can the minister acknowledge the concern of some parents and staff in her statement today but not commit to notifying parents and staff when there is an exceedence?
Ms Meredith Hammat replied:
I have acknowledged the concerns of all parents and staff. That is why I have put in place and issued a direction to be very clear to health service providers, the Department of Health, the Chief Health Officer, patients and staff about the processes that I expect will be followed to ensure that the regular testing that takes place is reported through the department and that the Chief Health Officer will be required to report on that.
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition!
Ms Meredith Hammat: When the Chief Health Officer believes that those exceedences present a risk to patients and staff, he will notify me and I will take his advice about the work we need to do to ensure that people who may be at risk are notified.
