THE Department of Health and Northern Health is investigating claims that the Northern Hospital is documenting inaccurate ambulance transfer times to meet specific targets.
The specifics of the case were released by the Herald Sun on Wednesday, in which a whistleblower had claimed that some offload times were allegedly edited by up to an hour, in order to meet State Government targets.
Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas made an appearance on ABC Radio on Wednesday to discuss the allegations, but said it was the first she had heard of it.
“No, I don’t [know about this]. I’ve read anonymous sources in a newspaper story, but they’re serious allegations, and my department will work with Northern Health to get to the bottom of them,” she said.
“It’s always my expectation that health services ensure that the data sets they are required to report on are reported accurately, and there are verification processes in place to ensure this.
“We will have a look at these allegations.
“There are many ways staff can raise concerns in relation to issues like this, including through their own hospital leadership.”
In February, new benchmarks were introduced in order to improve ambulance efficiency by the State Government.
The new government target is a 40-minute deadline for 90 per cent of patients to be transferred.
However, the Northern Hospital is slightly more conservative, aiming for an 80 per cent rate.
Between October and December last year, the goal transfer time was achieved in 68.5 per cent of cases in emergency departments across the state, well down on the target number.
Earlier this year, it was reported that 65.6 per cent of incidents requiring an ambulance were responded to in a 15-minute timeframe, also well below the statewide target of 85 per cent.
Ms Thomas said there didn’t appear to be an obvious intent for the alleged actions by the Northern Hospital.
“There are no financial incentives or disincentives to faking the data. Our healthcare workers are held in high regard by all of us, and it’s my expectation that they would act with integrity at all times,” she said on ABC Radio.
There are currently plans in place to expand the health services at the Northern Hospital, which is designed to reduce pressure on the health system in the outer northern suburbs.
A new emergency department and extra beds for the Northern Hospital were planned in last year’s state budget at a cost of $813 million.
