An inquiry has been established to examine Victoria’s contact tracing system
Just one day after Brett Sutton proclaimed Victoria’s contact tracing system was the best in the country, an inquiry has been given the green light to probe its “failures”.
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Australia’s Chief Scientist has backed Victoria’s contact tracing system to keep up with any new outbreaks as a parliamentary inquiry is launched into how it failed in the state’s second wave.
Dr Alan Finkel, who was called in to advise the Department of Health and Human Services in early August, said there had been “enormous progress” since then.
He nominated enhanced training of contact tracers and the shift from paper forms to a digital end-to-end system as key improvements, and said Victoria was now meeting his 48-hour target from testing to notifying close contacts.
“I can say with great confidence that the resources and personnel being applied to that task are really substantial,” Dr Finkel said.
“The focus on improving the end-to-end process so that cases don’t get lost in the system, so that everyone gets followed up with minimal confusion as efficiently as possible — I’d say the effort being applied is enormous.”
Asked by Liberal senator James Paterson if Victorian Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton was right to say the state’s system was now the best in the country, Dr Finkel said: “It’s not incorrect.”
“The reason why I phrase it carefully is we need some more weeks of testing the system because it’s very new,” he said.
It came as the state opposition’s push for a parliamentary inquiry into the contact tracing system was given the green light on Wednesday.
“This parliamentary inquiry will get to the bottom of some of those failures that have occurred,” opposition health spokeswoman Georgie Crozier said.
“But, more importantly, it will give Victorians an understanding and give them the confidence that they really need with the contact tracing system.”
Ms Crozier said the probe would answer questions that had not been investigated in the state’s hotel quarantine inquiry.
The parliamentary probe will be conducted by the legal and social issues committee chaired by the Reason Party’s Fiona Patten.
The push for an inquiry comes after months of health experts raising concerns over the state’s contact tracing system.
In September, Chief Scientist Alan Finkel led a delegation of Victorian officials to New South Wales to study their system.
At the time Mr Andrews claimed no problems had been found and the Victorian system was so good Sydney Would be replicating part of it.
The suggestion was denied by both federal and state representatives.
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt on Tuesday again raised concerns about the system after Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said our system was best system in the country.
“I’ve been pretty frank about weaknesses or critiques in elements of our response right through, but I will say now, I think our case contact and outbreak management is the best in Australia at the moment,” Mr Sutton said.
“It might be biased, but it’s an honest appraisal of the fact that we’ve had to step up with really significant requirements. So, I think this set-up we’ve got now could do things at scale if required.
“But even more importantly, at the very low numbers, it is best-in-country to be able to respond not just in a timely way, but to do all of the things that are required to be able to go from time of testing to time of completion of first interview in around 24 hours is extraordinary.”
The motion will be voted on in the Legislative Council this afternoon.
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