Question On Notice No. 2271 asked in the Legislative Council on 27 June 2019 by Hon Martin Aldridge
Question Directed to the: Parliamentary Secretary representing the Deputy Premier; Minister for Health; Mental Health
Parliament: 40 Session: 1
Question
In relation to the Northam, Merredin, Narrogin and Katanning hospitals, I
ask:
(a) on how many occasions
in the last 12 months at each hospital has a doctor not been rostered;
(b) with respect to (a), what was the reason for the
unavailability of a doctor for each occasion;
(c) with respect to (a),
on each occasion a doctor was not available to be rostered, how many ATS 1, 2
or 3 patients presented to each hospital during each period;
(d) what strategy has the
WA Country Health Service put in place to avoid situations when a doctor is not available to be
rostered;
(e) on how many occasions in the last 12 months at each
hospital has a doctor been rostered but unable to be contacted or unable to respond; and
(f) with respect to (e),
on each occasion a doctor was not available to respond when rostered, how many
ATS 1, 2 or 3 patients presented to each hospital during each period?
Answered on 22 August 2019
I am advised:
(a) Occasions in the last 12 months where there was no doctor available to be rostered or rostered on call, for a 12 hour shift, in the Emergency Department for the reporting period 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019 are as follows:
|
Site
|
Number of occasions
|
|
Northam
|
0
|
|
Merredin
|
25
|
|
Narrogin
|
45
|
|
Katanning
|
104
|
(b) The reasons for doctor unavailability to be rostered or rostered on call include:
- Decline in or insufficient numbers of GP or local medical practitioners available to fill the roster;
- Unexpected leave taken at short notice; or
- The need to meet fatigue management standards when rostering.
(c) For these occasions, the number patients scoring ATS 1, 2 and 3 presenting to each hospital was:
|
|
ATS 1
|
ATS 2
|
ATS 3
|
|
Northam
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
|
Merredin
|
0
|
8
|
13
|
|
Narrogin
|
4
|
45
|
121
|
|
Katanning
|
3
|
62
|
159
|
Note: these figures exclude instances where a doctor was rostered on to treat patients attending the emergency department who were assessed as ATS 1 and 2.
(d) Northam, Merredin, Narrogin and Katanning Hospitals have 24 hour seven day access to the Emergency Telehealth Services. In addition, the WA Country Health Service (WACHS) has the following strategies:
- Rosters are created several months in advance with local doctors and regular contractors being given first option of available shifts.
- Advance notification of roster vacancies is provided to recruitment agencies.
- Local senior doctors may be asked to cover roster gaps in ED when rostered on duty for another task such as anaesthetic or ward cover.
- Northam and Albany Hospitals are able to provide remote support to Narrogin, Merredin and Katanning Hospitals.
- ED Nurse Practitioners are available in Northam, Merredin and Katanning Hospitals and can assist by seeing lower acuity ED presentations.
- The Inpatient Telehealth Service (ITS) is progressively being implemented in many WACHS hospitals, including Merredin and Katanning. Like ETS, the ITS provides access to doctors and nursing teams who can assist local staff with assessing, responding to clinical deterioration, admitting and discharging patients from inpatient facilities.
- Further strategies to ensure a sustainable medical workforce model include potential collaborations with neighbouring regions. Katanning Hospital is working with Narrogin Hospital to explore sharing medical cover at both sites.
(e) There was one occasion at Merredin Hospital during the reporting period when a doctor was rostered and was delayed in presenting to the hospital.
(f) None.