Page 1042 - Week 04 - Thursday, 3 May 2007
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Upgrade of the stormwater drain network is funded from the Capital Works Upgrade Program which currently has an annual allocation of $400,000. The 2006/07 program includes 5 construction and 7 design projects. The latter group will be considered for construction in future capital works programs.
In addition to the Capital Upgrade program there is currently a package of stormwater investigations of sites which have experienced flooding during the recent freakish storms. The purpose of these studies is to identify short term and long term remedial measures to overcome these problems. It is anticipated that the short term measures will be implemented under the maintenance program, and the latter improvements considered in future capital works programs. Currently there are 12 sites being investigated but this is likely to increase as reports of flooding of other areas are received.
Hospitals—disposable instruments
(Question No 1529)
Dr Foskey asked the Minister for Health, upon notice, on 13 March 2007:
(1) Given that in the United Kingdom it is considered best practise to use disposable instruments for all tonsillectomies, is this practise carried out in hospitals that fall under ACT Government responsibility; if not, (a) why not and (b) is the ACT Government considering or willing to consider this practise;
(2) Is this practice being considered or is currently implemented for other types of surgeries; if so, what are they; if not, why not.
Ms Gallagher: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:
(1) The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, which establishes clinical guidelines for the UK National Health Service does not support a change to single use instruments for tonsillectomies:
“The evidence on cost effectiveness related to the risk of possible transmission of CJD does not support a change to single-use instruments, based on current costs. This includes ….., tonsillectomy ….. procedures.
IPG196 Patient safety and reduction of risk of transmission of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) via interventional procedures - guidance National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence, Nov 2006
Notwithstanding the above, ACT public hospitals employ single use diathermhy blades (the instrument used for tonsil dissection) for tonsillectomies.
(2) ACT Health has been developing guidelines for the use of single use instruments in other types of surgery in response to concerns about transition of prion related diseases. These guidelines are currently in development.
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