LGH helipad: Department says it received faulty advice
Risk review hit LGH helipad: The state government says the decision to stop landing at the hospital was ultimately made by the rescue helicopter operator following a key review. Here’s what we know.
Launceston
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The state government now says it was the rescue helicopter operator that ultimately expressed it would no longer use the Launceston General Hospital’s helipad from January 1, rather than Civil Aviation Safety Authority rule changes coming into effect on that day.
The Department of Health confirmed on January 5 that Westpac Rescue Helicopters, operated by contract RotorLift Aviation, would use Launceston Airport until an alternative to the existing Ockerby Gardens helipad could be found.
Department of Health Deputy Secretary – Infrastructure Shane Gregory initially said a tightening of CASA guidelines meant the helipad now “does not comply... due to its size, location and lighting”.
However, it’s now been revealed that was only part of the story, with the change more correctly due to an internal safety review by RotorLift, although CASA has issued a suite of new guidelines since December 2021 to inform best practice.
“As the aircraft operator it is ultimately up to RotorLift to determine what sites they are prepared to use,” Mr Gregory said.
“As part of their reaccreditation, RotorLift was required to review their Safety Management System. We understand it is as a result of this risk assessment that RotorLift made the decision not to operate from the LGH helipad beyond December 2022.”
Mr Gregory stressed that the new arrangements were a satisfactory alternative arrangement.
“It is important that Tasmanians understand that emergency medical transport is still occurring by air to and from Launceston, and it is safe,” he said.
“While we would prefer this to be onsite at the LGH, it is not unusual for retrievals to be offsite, in fact the Royal Hobart Hospital, our major trauma hospital, has only had an operational helipad since 2020. Before then the Cenotaph was used, or Hobart Airport.
“In relation to issues with the current helipad at the LGH, we have an immediate interim solution in place and we are working on medium and longer term options.”
The long-term option will be incorporated into Stage 2 of the 10-year, $580m LGH Precinct Masterplan, with a search currently under way for a site nearer to the hospital to land rescue helicopters.
The department was made aware of RotorLift’s intention to stop using the LGH helipad in November, a spokesman previously said.
It had previously obtained advice from an aviation consultant in May that the updated CASA guidelines, as they related to medical transport operations, would be deferred until December 2, 2023.
Department says it received faulty advice over LGH helipad longevity
Tasmania’s Department of Health says it received faulty advice in May last year that it would be able to use Launceston General Hospital’s helipad until the end of 2023.
It says it received subsequent advice in November that the new guidelines issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority would in fact render the hospital’s helipad noncompliant on January 1.
Despite this, the department only publicised on Thursday, in response to questions from the Mercury, that patients requiring helicopter transport to the hospital would need to be dropped off at Launceston Airport instead for the foreseeable future.
Deputy Secretary – Infrastructure Shane Gregory previously said the “tightened” rules had made the hospital helipad non-compliant due to “its size, location and lighting”.
However, a CASA spokeswoman suggested it was in fact concerns held by the rescue helicopter contractor – RotorLift Aviation, based at Cambridge – which spelled the end for the LGH helipad, rather than its updated guidelines.
“We understand that the helicopter operator has chosen to stop operating due to a range of safety risks that they identified when considering whether to continue to operate from the helicopter landing site at Ockerby Gardens, next to the hospital,” the spokeswoman said.
“We have reached out to relevant stakeholders, including the helicopter operator, hospital and the Tasmanian Department of Heath to understand their concerns and the safety risks identified.”
On Friday, Acting Premier Michael Ferguson said he was “concerned” by the development and committed to funding a new helipad at the hospital in the next budget.
It can now be revealed that the department has known since November that the hospital’s helipad would become non-compliant.
“In May 2022, the Department of Health received advice that operations could continue at the existing LGH Helipad until late 2023, by which time the helipad would require upgrading,” a departmental spokesman said.
“However, in November 2022, the department received updated advice that it was not possible to upgrade the existing helipad to the required standard and operations would need to cease earlier than originally advised. This necessitated the process to identify a suitable alternative site on which to land.”
The spokesman did not respond when asked who had provided the initial May 2022 advice, which subsequently proved incorrect.
The spokesman said planning for the relocation of the helipad commenced in Q3 last year, per the LGH Masterplan ‘Implementation Program March 2022’ timeline.
He revealed the department was investigating whether a stopgap alternative closer to the hospital could be used, while a “longer-term solution is progressed”.
“The department is continuing to investigate options for potential locations for an upgraded helicopter landing site at the hospital, in line with the LGH Masterplan. This work will include ensuring compliance with the updated CASA regulations,” the spokesman said.
Treasurer pledges to fund new hospital helipad in next budget
Acting Premier Michael Ferguson has committed to funding a new Launceston General Hospital helipad in the next state budget, saying he was “concerned” but assuring the public that patient safety would not be compromised by the new arrangements.
The state government revealed on Thursday, following detailed questions submitted by the Mercury, that new CASA regulations, which came into effect on January 1, meant the hospital’s helipad was no longer compliant.
Patients are now transported by helicopter to Launceston Airport, with a waiting ambulance to drive them up the Midland Highway to the hospital.
Department of Health Deputy Secretary – Infrastructure Shane Gregory previously said the “tighter” CASA regulations meant the LGH helipad was no longer compliant due to “its size, location and lighting”.
On Friday, Mr Ferguson said building a new helipad was “not hard to do” once a suitable location had been found, citing his construction of helipads at the Royal Hobart Hospital, North West Regional Hospital and Mersey Community Hospital during his tenure as Health Minister as evidence.
He admitted he was “concerned” that the LGH helipad had been struck out, describing the new arrangements as “safe and effective but not a long-term solution”.
“As the local member and Treasurer, I intend to fund (a new helipad) in the next budget,” Mr Ferguson said.
“Clearly we need to see an upgrade to the helipad. It’s critical infrastructure.”
He said the recent Sea World helicopter tragedy on the Gold Coast, which saw a pilot and three passengers killed, showed aviation safety was always paramount.
Mr Ferguson said he was unaware of when the state government knew that the new CASA regulations would rule out the LGH helipad. He also declined to directly answer why the department only publicised the news five days after it came into effect.
“The health department thought it was in the public interest to share details of the arrangements already put in place by clinicians,” he said.
A departmental spokesman said they were “continuing to investigate options for potential locations for an upgraded helicopter landing site at the LGH, in line with the LGH Masterplan”.
“This work will include ensuring compliance with the updated CASA regulations,” the spokesman said.
Launceston Mayor Danny Gibson urged the state government to lock in a new LGH helipad with haste.
“We know the helipad is used many, many times each year. While the state government has put alternate arrangements in place, I know many members of the community I’ve spoken to want to see an upgraded and operational helipad at the LGH as soon as practicable,” he said.
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