Probe over claim staff at Victoria’s busiest emergency department falsifying records to meet new workload targets

A Northern Hospital whistleblower has claimed staff are routinely doctoring records — in a practice dubbed “data washing” — to show patients being offloaded from ambulances within target times.

Damning allegations that staff at Victoria’s busiest emergency department have been falsifying records to meet strict new workload targets are being investigated by the Department of Health.

A Northern Hospital whistleblower has claimed staff routinely doctor records – in a practice dubbed “data washing” – to show patients being offloaded from ambulances within target times.

Screenshots of internal hospital systems, obtained by the Herald Sun, allegedly show offload times being falsified by up to an hour in some cases.

It means the hospital can show it is meeting a new statewide target to transfer 90 per cent of patients from ambulance to hospital staff within 40 minutes.

The Northern Hospital in Epping. Picture: Supplied

The screenshots show records being altered by clerical staff sometimes a day after initially being made.

The practice is alleged to have been going on since 2017, with a vast number of employees and management understood to be aware, the whistleblower said.

“It is really widespread, and it is ongoing,” they said.

“And it means we are not getting the help we need because on paper we are meeting our targets, so staff are burning out and leaving because in reality we are getting flogged.”

New offload benchmarks were introduced in February for the state’s 17 busiest emergency departments to improve patient transfer times and get paramedics back on the road sooner in a bid to save lives.

Health minister Mary-Anne Thomas threatened hospitals with “consequences” if they failed to meet the tough new standards that were based on changes made at the Austin Hospital which saw a drastic improvement in transfer times.

“It’s really clear that if we are to improve ambulance response times, if we are to end ramping, then we can’t keep doing things the way we’ve always done them and expect for there to be change,” she said at the time.

Ambulances parked at the Northern Hospital. Picture: Ian Currie

“There are clear actions and outcomes that we now seek from the standards,” she said.

“There are accountabilities, and there will be consequences.”

A government spokesperson said on Tuesday the timely and accurate reporting of data was a requirement of all health services under the Policy and Funding Guidelines for Health Services.

“These allegations are serious and the Department of Health will work with Northern Health to investigate them,” she said.

“It is our expectation that all health services ensure data is captured accurately and there are stringent verification processes in place to ensure it is.”

A Northern Hospital spokeswoman said the allegations were under review.

Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas. Picture: Ian Currie

Shadow health minister, Georgie Crozier, said any investigation had to be completely independent and separate from the government.

“Under Labor, tragically too many Victorians have died waiting for care,” she said.

“Victorians need confidence in the health system. They don’t need an investigation done by the government looking into a government run health service.

“A full independent investigation needs to be undertaken on this incident, and further, an independent audit needs to be undertaken on all emergency departments that involves the reporting of ambulance data.”

Latest data showed the median wait time in Victoria’s emergency departments was down to 14 minutes, the lowest on record.

It comes as hospitals in Melbourne’s east are gutting services including paediatrics and general surgery.

North-Eastern Metropolitan Liberal MP, Nick McGowan, told the Herald Sun Ringwood’s Maroondah Hospital would move paediatric services 15km away to Box Hill Hospital.

“In a shameful act they have ripped out paediatric services and have plans to forcibly relocate them to Box Hill,” he said.

Maroondah Hospital is set to lose its paediatric services. Picture: Supplied

“Having only seven years ago promised an emergency department for children, the hospital is now abandoning all paediatrics for the foreseeable future.

“This comes hot on the heels of the Premier this week admitting construction would not start as promised on a new Maroondah Hospital in 2025.

“There is not a single cent budgeted for the construction of the new hospital in the next four years.”

Mr McGowan said he understood general surgery and gynaecology services could also be lost at Healesville and Yarra Ranges hospitals.

Health Minister: ‘We need to find out exactly what has happened’

Ms Thomas on Wednesday said she first learnt of the Northern Hospital allegations when she read the Herald Sun’s article.

Minister Thomas told a press conference she had asked the department to look into the issue but dismissed calls for an independent body to investigate the claims which she dubbed “anonymous allegations”.

“Nonetheless, we need to find out exactly what has happened and that’s why I’ve asked for my department to work with Northern to investigate these allegations,” she told reporters.

Ms Thomas said she had not seen screenshots of internal hospital systems, obtained by the Herald Sun, that allegedly show offload times being falsified.

“I’m taking this seriously, absolutely, that’s why we’ve commended an investigation.

“I hold our healthcare workers in the highest regard, as I’m sure so do all Victorians, and we expect them to work and operate with integrity at all time and indeed, I’m very confident that that is what is happening in health care system.

“But we’ll get to the bottom of what’s happened at Northern and when I find out more I’ll be happy to share it with you.”

Ms Thomas also said she had not received any proposal from Eastern Health to stop offering paediatric services and would reject such a proposal if it came across her desk.

Eastern Health operates both the Maroondah and Box Hill hospitals.

“I’ve been very clear that paediatrics will continue at Eastern Health at the Maroondah campus,” she said.

Originally published as Probe over claim staff at Victoria’s busiest emergency department falsifying records to meet new workload targets