Public Hospital Patient Death

Mrs JILLIAN SKINNER: My question is directed to the Minister for Health. What does the Minister have to say to Mr Jim Murray, who now has to take care of his three young children after his wife's death at the hands of the Minister's health system, with the official report citing factors including inexperienced staff; undetected massive blood loss; communications breakdowns, blood warming machines breaking down; and equipment that staff did not know how to use?

Ms REBA MEAGHER: This case is a tragedy and my sympathies are with Rebecca Murray's husband and family. The Greater Western Area Health Service conducted an investigation into this case. The Health Care Complaints Commission and the Coroner are also currently investigating the matter. It is clear that the Opposition is not waiting for these formal inquiries to consider all the circumstances. Members of the Opposition have already made their judgement that this case is the result of "systemic problems in the health system". This case is a tragedy, but it should not be used to indict an entire health care system.

Each year 90,000 babies are born in New South Wales and, while tragic, maternal death is extremely rare. In New South Wales there are less than 10 deaths of this nature each year. The latest information, published in NSW Mothers and Babies, indicates that this number is continuing to decline. Every one of these deaths is a tragedy and we need to look at them so we thoroughly understand what happened, and if we need to make changes to the way we deliver care we will. The initial area health service report into Rebecca Murray's death highlighted poor record keeping and inadequate information exchange between treating clinicians. The special commission of inquiry that has been established into the public health care system has been specifically tasked to look at issues such as clinical note taking and record keeping and communication between treating health professionals.

The New South Wales public health system provides more than 26 million occasions of care each year. On a typical day 6,000 people will attend an emergency department; 17,000 people will receive care in a hospital bed; around 550 people will undergo an elective surgery procedure and an ambulance is dispatched every 30 seconds. We have one of the best health care systems in the world. However, when things go wrong, the assurance we give is that we will investigate to understand what has gone wrong so we can make the system stronger. Again, I express my sympathies to Rebecca Murray's husband and family and assure them that investigations into her death will examine all of the circumstances and make recommendations for change where it is needed.