Election 2018: SA Best demands royal commission on health scandals as condition for party’s support for next government

SA BEST will demand a royal commission into the health system as a non-negotiable condition of support if the party holds the balance of power after the state election. What do you think — VOTE NOW

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SA BEST will demand a royal commission into the health system as a non-negotiable condition of support if the party holds the balance of power after the state election.

The inquiry would be into “failures” ranging from cost blowouts and long waiting lists to clogged EDs and various scandals.

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“If we hold the balance of power, I would make the royal commission a condition of support for whatever party forms government,” SA Best leader Xenophon told The Advertiser.

The proposed judicial inquiry headed by an eminent legal figure, backed by a panel of experts, would come with strict reporting timetables and stipulate that any recommendations to improve patient outcomes be automatically implemented unless voted out by Parliament.

“That way, unlike other royal commissions, the recommendations cannot be shelved,” Mr Xenophon said, ahead of appearing at the SA Press Club lunch on Friday with Premier Jay Weatherill and Opposition Leader Steven Marshall.

“The only way to get to the truth of the mess of our health system and work our way through it is a royal commission.

Nick Xenophon’s SA Best will demand a royal commission into the health system as a non-negotiable condition of support if the party holds the balance of power after the state election.

“Health is the biggest portfolio of the state budget, yet we are talking about a hospital system that itself needs critical care.”

The terms of reference would include protection for whistleblowers and medicos who appeared before it, with severe penalties should any suffer recriminations.

It would look at scandals, blunders and fiascos that have dogged the system in recent years — such as those involving chemotherapy underdosing, stroke specialist rostering, and prostate and breast cancer screening — to see where improvements can be made.

“This also would have full forensic powers to look at the finances of SA Health and its contract arrangements,” Mr Xenophon said.

“The terms of reference would look at cost blowouts in projects such as the RAH and why it was a PPP (public-private partnership) arrangement, and the level of consultation between the bureaucracy and clinicians. It would look at (electronic patient record system) EPAS, its cost blowouts and how much it is really costing taxpayers, and whether it should be scrapped.

Can a royal commission into SA Health stop the scandals and debacles? Take our poll.

“It would also look at problems of waiting lists and ramping, the implementation of Transforming Health and what it really achieved, the need for greater transparency in the system, and things like whether delays in procedures such as colonoscopies have cost lives.”

Mr Xenophon conceded such an inquiry would cost “several million dollars” but said it was a small price to pay to improve the system.

Such a commission could prove an embarrassing price of power for Labor, which has run the health system since 2002.

However, with polls indicating Mr Xenophon’s team is on track to decide whether Labor or Liberal govern as a minority with SA Best support, his political rivals cannot ignore his ultimatum.

HEALTH SCANDALS, FIASCOS, DEBACLES

CHEMOTHERAPY In August 2015, The Advertiser revealed 10 leukaemia patients at the RAH and Flinders received only half their chemotherapy doses due to a typographical error. The Coroner is investigating the death of four patients.

STROKE The Advertiser reveals the RAH’s two key stroke specialists were both rostered on holidays when two patients arrived and died — the case is before the Coroner.

PROSTATE In April 2016, SA Pathology executive director Ken Barr was sacked after the Sunday Mail revealed about 100 men received false positive test results.

BREAST In December 2012, then Health Minister John Hill announced a review into 54,000 BreastScreen SA digital images because 95 cancers fewer than expected were detected.

OAKDEN A scathing report found widespread failures at the Oakden Older Person’s Mental Health Service — and the facility was closed down.

SCANS In June 2017 The Advertiser reveals more than 300,000 medical scans were incorrectly labelled, such as breasts being labelled as heads.

SPY Mk 1 In December 2014, an investigation determined hidden cameras had spied on SA Pathology staff.

SPY Mk2 In February 2016, 13 clinicians were caught spying on the medical records of Cy Walsh, who killed his father and former Adelaide Crows coach Phil Walsh.

What: Nick Xenophon has pledged a royal commission into the health system, as part of the price for SA Best support should it hold the balance of power.

How: A judicial inquiry headed by an eminent legal figure, backed by experts, with wide-ranging terms of reference and protection for whistleblowers.

Pub test: Sounds good in theory, but could be a quagmire with no guarantee it will unclog EDs or shorten elective surgery waiting queues. It will, however, help quash any perceptions SA Best is “in bed” with Labor, given the government would be highly unlikely to support such a move.