Greens MP Rosalie Woodruff says North West Regional Hospital outbreak report shows state was playing catch-up to contain virus

A Greens MP says the State Government must provide reassurances a coronavirus outbreak in a hospital will not be repeated, as the Premier says authorities are on “the front foot”.

THE State Government says it is on “the front foot” in responding to coronavirus threats in hospitals, but opposition members say a damning report into the North West outbreak shows they have been scrambling to catch up.

The findings of an investigation by state health officials revealed a series of failings which led to the COVID-19 cluster at the North West Regional Hospital and exacerbated its spread.

The source of the infection was attributed to one or both patients admitted to the hospital in late March who had travelled on the Ruby Princess cruise ship.

Healthcare workers congregating in confined spaces, infection control shortcomings and staff coming to work while symptomatic contributed to the spread of infection.

A spike in cases among staff and patients ensued, with the NWRH and North West Private Hospitals both closed to undergo deep cleans.

The North West Regional Hospital is seen closed in Burnie, Tasmania, Tuesday, April 14, 2020. Health workers in northwest Tasmania. (AAP Image/Simon Sturzaker)

Health Minister Sarah Courtney said on Friday it was her priority to implement the 17 recommendations from the report, but would not say if she was confident a further outbreak would be avoided in a Tasmanian hospital.

Health Minister Sarah Courtney during the Daily Tasmanian Government coronavirus update, 1st May, 2020. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

It comes as a new case of coronavirus was confirmed at the Mersey Community Hospital, a woman in her 70s.

Premier Peter Gutwein said the Government accepted all the report’s recommendations and said some had already been actioned.

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Infected staff mingling with other workers and treating patients

“In the main, we’re on the front foot and we’re implementing them now,’’ he said.

But Greens MP and epidemiological expert Rosalie Woodruff said the failings laid bare by the outbreak report showed the NWRH was not adequately prepared — and she pointed the finger at the Government.

Dr Woodruff said when the hospital accepted the two COVID-19 patients from the cruise ship, it had been almost three weeks since the first case in Tasmania.

Epidemiologist and Greens MP Rosalie Woodruff. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

Dr Woodruff said given what was known about the virus by then, including many “red flags” from evidence overseas, there was “no excuse” for the state’s hospitals not to be prepared.

She said the readiness of state hospitals for the pandemic, including the availability and use of personal protective equipment and social distancing advice was the Government’s responsibility.

“The culture of safety rests on the leadership and it was absent,’’ she said.

“Infection control is not new, so this is revealing systemic lack of support for staff to be able to do their work safely, and ultimately for the community to be safe in the environment.

“Other states have had large numbers of cruise ships with COVID-positive passengers and they haven’t had outbreaks in hospitals, so there was something systemic happening.”

Dr Woodruff said the new case at the MCH highlighted the need for the public to be reassured that a similar large-scale outbreak would not happen again.

Labor leader Rebecca White said the report showed Tasmania’s hospital system was underprepared and under-resourced to deal with coronavirus.

Ms White called for a royal commission into the circumstances of the outbreak, but Mr Gutwein said that was premature and referenced an independent review that will be done by experts in coming months.