Mr ELFERINK - 2003-02-19
Two weeks ago, I wrote to the minister for Health regarding my concerns about a patient in the ICU in Alice Springs. To date, I have received no reply. Minister, what is the current condition of this patient?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the honourable member for his question. Yes, indeed, the honourable member has written to me and I have asked my department to provide me with a clinical response to that. When I have received that I will certainly be writing to the member. I might say that, regarding issues brought forward in this House, it is a very serious matter to be actually raising things to do with individual patients. Patients have privacy issues which are covered under significant Australian legislation, under which people have a right to have privacy for their medical records.
I understand that, last night, during the adjournment, there was some comment that this was taking a long time to respond to. I would like to say that, when I became the minister on 27 August 2001, there was mail waiting to be responded to from February that year; too many to respond to before September and October. So, two weeks is hardly a long time. When I receive the information, which is a very serious matter, I will respond appropriately.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the honourable member for his question. Yes, indeed, the honourable member has written to me and I have asked my department to provide me with a clinical response to that. When I have received that I will certainly be writing to the member. I might say that, regarding issues brought forward in this House, it is a very serious matter to be actually raising things to do with individual patients. Patients have privacy issues which are covered under significant Australian legislation, under which people have a right to have privacy for their medical records.
I understand that, last night, during the adjournment, there was some comment that this was taking a long time to respond to. I would like to say that, when I became the minister on 27 August 2001, there was mail waiting to be responded to from February that year; too many to respond to before September and October. So, two weeks is hardly a long time. When I receive the information, which is a very serious matter, I will respond appropriately.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016