Health Minister Sarah Courtney admits the buck ultimately stops with her when it comes to the state of Tasmania's health system - but she has avoided saying that systemic failings may have contributed to the coronavirus outbreak on the North-West Coast.
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Nearly two weeks ago, a report from Public Health Services concluded that more than three quarters of health care staff later diagnosed with COVID-19 worked at various facilities in the North-West while they were infectious.
Also identified as potential factors in the outbreak were workplace meetings occurring in confined spaces, potential shortcomings in infection control practices and high numbers of staff moving between different health facilities.
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"As the Health Minister, I ultimately have full accountability for the health system," Ms Courtney told reporters yesterday.
"We know that from the report that was released almost two weeks ago from the director of Public Health that there were a number of learnings that we have had from that incident.
"We're ensuring that learnings out of what happened in the North-West, as well as learnings from other jurisdictions, are continuing to be implemented quickly into our response."
Meanwhile, Ms Courtney was still unable to say when the Mersey Community Hospital's emergency department would reopen, despite it having now been closed for a month.
The closure was enforced as a result of the North-West cluster.
People who need urgent medical attention are being transported to the North West Regional and Launceston General hospitals, where EDs are open.
As the Health Minister, I ultimately have full accountability for the health system.
- Sarah Courtney, Health Minister
Ms Courtney said it was important that the reopening of the Mersey ED was done so in accordance with "the best clinical advice".
"We know that we have only just seen the NWRH come back online and we know that the Mersey Community Hospital has played a very important role in caring for patients during the time that that other hospital was closed," she said.
"We'll continue to work with local clinicians to make sure that as services return to normal at that site that it's done so safely with appropriate staffing to keep both the patients, the staff and the community safe."
"Four months ago, no one had heard of coronavirus.
"And so the fact that we have made so many gains in this time is very pleasing; however, it's important ... that we continue to explore ways that we can prepare our system for further cases of coronavirus."
But Labor health spokeswoman Sarah Lovell said Tasmanians "deserve transparency" around when the Mersey ED will "resume full capacity".
"The North-West Coast has been hardest hit by the COVID-19 crisis and the loss of this essential service has been a serious concern," she said.
"We know normal demand for medical services hasn't gone away.
"It is essential that this service is restored as soon as possible."
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