Snap hospital audit hits $400k as Cook Govt secretly calls in consultancy firm

The cost to audit the rundown conditions of WA’s hospitals has blown out to more than $400,000 after the Cook Government secretly paid an external consulting firm to assist with the review, The West Australian can reveal. It was announced last year respected figures Michael Barnes — the State’s former under treasurer — and one-time WA Health director-general Dr Neale Fong had been enlisted by the Premier’s department to undertake the “snap” audit and review of hospital maintenance. It followed weeks of damaging reporting by The West’s Hospital of Horrors investigation which exposed the backlog of more than 1000 work orders inundating maintenance staff at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. Dr Fong and Mr Barnes were contracted from August 26 until November 21 to conduct the audit and review, at a combined cost of $160,000, plus expenses. But only a week after the pair commenced work, the Department of Premier and Cabinet quietly contracted consulting firm Paxon Group to provide “analysis, advice and support” to Dr Fong and Mr Barnes at a budget cost of more than $245,000. Health Infrastructure Minister John Carey confirmed the audit and review was completed by the November deadline but would not confirm the total cost for the contract with Paxon Group. The West Australian understands the report and its findings have been considered by Cabinet and the Government is bracing itself to release it soon. A Government spokesperson last night confirmed a report would be released in the coming days. Shadow health minister Libby Mettam said the Cook Government’s delays in acting on the audit and review had undermined patient confidence in the health system. “This Government said the snap audit would cost $160,000, yet the real bill is now more than $400,000 — another example of costs blowing out while taxpayers are kept in the dark,” Ms Mettam said. “We were told the review would be handled by Michael Barnes and Neale Fong with senior departmental oversight, but the Government failed to disclose that an extra $240,000 would be spent on a third consultant.” Ms Mettam said taxpayers deserved more transparency over the true cost of the “snap” audit and how long the report had been with the Government awaiting action. “Health Infrastructure Minister John Carey needs to explain, where the report is, whether it is still sitting on his desk, and needs to release it,” she said. “At a time when patients are being treated in overcrowded wards and staff are working in ageing and unsuitable facilities, the Government is on a go slow. Reports don’t treat patients — action does. “The Cook Government must stop the secrecy, release the audit immediately, and start fixing hospitals — not just talking about it.” When the deteriorating state of SCGH was laid bare in August, the Cook Government immediately went on the attack, and denied the seriousness of the problems. Leaking radioactive waste, human excrement in the intensive care unit, and costly damage to equipment were among the hazards threatening patient and staff safety. Mr Carey downplayed the number of work orders and said the issues had been misreported. “The paper focused on this idea there was radioactive waste leak,” he said. “That’s not the case. I’m advised there was no radioactive leak involved, a non-hazardous water leak in a pipe, but it was a sub-basement pipe that patients and other staff do not have access to,” he claimed during a radio interview. For weeks, Mr Carey was peppered with questions by the Opposition in Parliament over the radioactive leak. A motion was moved in the Upper House calling for the minister to table documents proving that the incident involved non-hazardous material. No department advice was tabled to substantiate the claim. A senior maintenance staffer at SCGH also came forward claiming a “culture of cover-ups” was leaving serious infrastructure issues unaddressed and putting the public’s health at risk. “If sh.. can flow through ICU where the most vulnerable patients (are) and we have no paper trail whatsoever, think about it — does that not back up that we have a culture of cover-ups?” the worker said. “That (leak) should have immediately have been reported to the (Health) Department and they should have managed it.” After sustained pressure, the Premier established a $50 million Health Asset Maintenance Fund to prioritise works at Sir Charles Gairdner, Royal Perth and Armadale hospitals. Mr Cook said at the time he was committed to making sure every West Australian could access proper health care. “We know we have some ageing infrastructure that needs careful management, and we’re listening to the concerns of workers,” he said.