A review of ACT Health's data failures that is now two months overdue won't be released until staff have been "consulted" on it, Health Minister Meegan Fitzharris says.
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A root-and-branch review of the directorate's data collection had been promised by March, after ACT health failed to provide key data on its emergency department, elective surgery waiting times and mental health for the 2017 Report on Government Services.
Preliminary results from the 15-month review have shown there was no integrated data strategy across ACT Health with little consistency in data management across the organisation.
It found staff training in data was deficient, and employees did not have a clear understanding of the bigger picture for the data, which had impacted the accuracy.
It also found data definitions were not consistent, which had led to inaccuracies, and software updates to support mandatory reporting were poorly planned.
Ms Fitzharris said the report was now with ACT Health staff for their "consultation" as their views were "critical to the success of this important work".
She also said their views would inform how the changes were recommended.
"Madam Speaker, this journey is about endurance, and not a simple overnight fix," Ms Fitzharris said.
"At the time that I established this review, I made it clear I wanted more than just a post mortem of the errors of the past. I wanted a visionary report that maps out how data can support and
enable our future healthcare system."
However the Canberra Liberals' health spokeswoman Vicki Dunne said that "consultation" could lead to the report being sanitised.
She also said there was no timeline attached to the consultation, meaning it could be some time before more details of the data failures are made public.
"There are many issues still unresolved in this space as there are in every aspect of health administration but we need to put on the record the minister has failed her own deadlines," Mrs Dunne said.
"We were promised this in March. It is now May and it is not complete. If it's complete, why isn't it tabled? It's not complete, you said by your own omission you're out consulting on it which means there's potential for it to be changed. It's not complete. The minister has failed her own deadline."
The health minister has come under fire this week for her handling of a litany of failures in ACT Health in the past year.
Last month, it was revealed the Canberra Hospital had failed to meet several areas of healthcare standards in its accreditation process, some of which have put vulnerable patients at "extreme risk".
Then, maternity staff wrote an anonymous letter to Ms Fitzharris detailing chronic overcrowding and understaffing, as well as allegations staff had moved dirty and broken chairs and faulty equipment during the recent accreditation process, only to put them back again afterwards.
One mother told Fairfax Media her child nearly died after a series of administrative bungles, after which the ACT Government said it will announce a plan to update the way maternity services are delivered in the ACT
Labor and the Greens voted down a lengthy motion from the Opposition on Wednesday, demanding Ms Fitzharris table a series of documents, relating to how the government planned to meet the accreditation standards, plans for the Centenary Hospital and the split of ACT Health.
It follows Mrs Dunne on Tuesday attempting to pass a motion expressing no confidence in Ms Fitzharris' performance in the role, an Opposition attack which ultimately failed to get the crucial Greens' support.
