South West MLC James Hayward calls for Albany Health Campus WorkSafe review

South West MLC James Hayward has written to WorkSafe requesting a review into what he calls an “unsafe working environment” at Albany Health Campus. Mr Hayward has also questioned how the Albany facility would cope with a COVID-19 outbreak, claiming he had received reports that staff felt burnt out and there were not enough beds “to handle even slight demand surges”. But WA Country Health Service Great Southern regional director Geraldine Ennis issued an impassioned defence of the health campus, and said WACHS had been working hard over the past 20 months to ensure regional WA was prepared to manage the threat of COVID-19. Mr Hayward said his office received “regular messages” from Albany constituents, including health campus staff, expressing concerns about the AHC. “What I am hearing is that staff feel over-worked, unsafe and burnt out, that there are not enough beds to handle even slight demand surges, and that patients often have to wait unreasonable times to receive attention or even to get out of an ambulance,” he said. “I have actually written to WorkSafe and the health minister requesting a similar review to the one conducted at Bunbury Hospital, which exposed serious issues at that site and resulted in an order to improve the toxic workplace culture there.” In September, WorkSafe issued a 12-month improvement notice to Bunbury Hospital, believed to be the first notice of its kind ever given to a WA hospital. The notice was issued as a result of a five-month investigation after a leaked report from the Australian Medical Association claimed the environment at Bunbury Hospital was so toxic almost 70 per cent of doctors had considered resigning. Mr Hayward’s comments come as ambulance ramping at AHC fell to 3.3 hours in October after a peak of 19.1 hours in May. Ms Ennis said it was important to “put agendas aside and work together co-operatively and collaboratively” for the betterment of the health system. “On a good day, hospitals are extremely stressful environments, coupled with unprecedented demand, national staff shortages and a pandemic, and there can be no doubt our staff are feeling it,” she said. “We’re working hard to address these issues head-on, and would welcome the opportunity to meet with Mr Hayward to discuss this in further detail — not by way of media.” WorkSafe confirmed it had received an occupational safety and health inquiry regarding AHC but said it had not launched an official investigation. Mr Hayward said the Albany community needed to be made aware of what was being done to prepare for a potential COVID-19 outbreak as WA moved towards opening its borders. “We all know COVID is coming, the Premier has told us as much. However, regardless of vaccination rates, people will be ending up requiring hospital treatment. This is just a fact,” he said. “The Albany community needs answers as to what contingency plans are in place to handle demand increases when COVID does arrive.” Ms Ennis said hospitals around WA were facing unprecedented demand and workforce supply issues. “This is a systemic issue across the entire health sector and not exclusive to the Great Southern, country WA or WA,” she said. “Despite this, our staff continue to be remarkably resilient in the face of changing dynamics and the added pressures of the pandemic. “WACHS has been working hard over the last 20 months to ensure regional WA is prepared to manage the threat of COVID-19. “Suggestions that our staff are not ready to face the challenge undermines their continuing dedication and commitment to the communities they care for.” Ms Ennis said across WACHS, “training and quality assurance exercises are routinely undertaken” to test and refine management plans and safety mechanisms. “Here in the Great Southern, we’ve recently undergone assurance testing activity at Albany Health Campus, as well as sites in Denmark, Plantagenet, Kojonup and Ravensthorpe, with 36 drills undertaken in the region since August alone,” she said. “To further prepare our sites, we’ve undertaken rigorous fit testing programs to ensure clinical teams are confident in using personal protective equipment safely and effectively.”