Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital—Testing regulations
509. Hon Tjorn Sibmato theparliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Health:
I note amendments recommended in the 2019 Department of Health review of regulations concerning water and air testing in WA hospitals and the April 2023 Auditor General's report that recommended progressing these amendments.
(1) Has the minister requested—or did her predecessor request—that her department finalise and implement the updated regulations and, if not, why not?
(2) Is the minister aware that the cooling water systems at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital do not comply with Australian Standard AS 3666, thereby placing patients' health at risk due to repeated high Legionella detections?
(3) How much has the Department of Health invested into improving air and water quality at the hospital since 2022?
Hon Pierre Yang replied:
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question.
The following answer has been provided by the Minister for Health.
(1) The Department of Health continues to progress these regulations.
(2)–(3) Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre cooling towers are located in HH block—central energy plant—and these towers are compliant to AS 3666, with routine maintenance and monthly testing for heterotrophic plate count and Legionella. No Legionella has been detected in the cooling tower verifications.
