Healthcare Australia on notice following Queensland vaccine overdose

The boss of the contractor at the centre of an aged care overdose scandal has been stood aside, with the breach of safety described as ‘unacceptable’.

The chief executive officer of the contractor that employed the doctor blamed for giving two Queensland people an overdose of the COVID-19 vaccine has been stood down.

Health Minister Greg Hunt told the parliament on Thursday CEO Jason Cartwright had been stood aside and Healthcare Australia was “installing new management” after it was revealed the doctor had not received adequate training to administer the vaccine.

The move followed high level talks between Mr Cartwright, chairman Daren McKennay and Health Department secretary Brendan Murphy.

An 88-year-old man and 94-year-old woman were this week given four times the recommended dose of the Pfizer vaccine at Holy Spirit aged care home at Carseldine, Queensland.

Healthcare Australia has been put on notice after an investigation found the company guilty of two serious breaches of the clinical standards.

“We share the community’s serious concerns about the incident involving two patients at the Holy Spirit nursing home in Brisbane and have immediately commenced an internal review to determine how it occurred,” Mr McKennay said in a statement.

“We apologise unreservedly to the patients and their families involved for the distress this has caused and assure the community that the error was isolated and will not be repeated.

“While the review is being finalised, Healthcare Australia CEO Jason Cartwright has agreed to step aside from his role and an interim CEO with extensive experience in the health sector will be imminently appointed. We will also further strengthen the Healthcare Australia management team with additional executive support.

“The health and wellbeing of all patients in our care is our absolute priority and we continue to work with relevant health departments to guarantee the ongoing effectiveness of the vaccination program rollout.”

Deputy chief medical officer Michael Kidd said the health and safety breach was “unacceptable”.

“This doctor should not have been permitted to carry out these vaccinations without proof of his completion of training being sighted by the company,” he told reporters.

“The company did not meet its requirements under its contract with the Australian vaccinations.”

An additional provider will now be engaged to roll out the vaccine in NSW and Queensland to assist Healthcare Australia, which has slowed down its rollout.

More than 4715 aged care residents across 71 aged care facilities had been vaccinated by Wednesday night, which is short of the government’s target of 240 homes in the first week.

Earlier on Thursday, Mr Hunt confirmed additional senior management had been brought into Healthcare Australia, and the company’s chair was now acting in an executive administration role.

The commonwealth has installed the nation’s former chief nursing and midwifery officer, Debra Thoms, to work with the company and review its staffing arrangements.

Aged care residents were at the front of the queue to get Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. Picture: Emma Brasier

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The federal Health Department, in a statement on Wednesday night, said it was concerned at the serious breach of protocol and the misleading information – after the company wrongly claimed the doctor had been trained.

“We have at all times made it clear that safety cannot be compromised,” the statement read.

“The company could face contract termination or other sanction if further breaches occur.

“The department will refer the doctor in question to the appropriate authority.”

An independent audit will now be conducted to ensure all other Healthcare Australia immunisers have completed the training.

“They are on notice,” Senator Colbeck told Today.

“For a mistake of this nature to occur is quite simply not acceptable.”

The pair involved are well and being monitored for any adverse effects with the woman to return to the nursing home on Thursday afternoon.

Senator Colbeck said he was “very sorry” to them and their families for the bungle.

“I’d be really upset if my mum or dad were in a situation where they hadn’t received the correct dose,” he said.

“We need to be very, very vigilant.”

Senator Richard Colbeck said measures had been taken to ensure people had confidence in the vaccine rollout. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

But opposition health spokesman Mark Butler said it was a “grievous error”.

“This is a very basic component of the training, recognising that these Pfizer vaccines come in multi-dose vials,” he said.

“You don’t inject the whole thing.”

Mr Butler warned that maintaining public confidence was incredibly important to the vaccine rollout.

“The commonwealth government simply needs to do better,” he said.