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Serco tipped to lose contract

More trouble: Fiona Stanley Hospital. Picture: Supplied

The State Government is expected to strip Serco of sterilisation duties at Fiona Stanley Hospital after complaints about unclean and missing surgical instruments.

The Weekend West understands the Government will announce on Monday that the Health Department will take over responsibilities from the private company, after a recommendation to Cabinet from acting director-general of health Bryant Stokes.

While Professor Stokes has remained silent about his recommendation, senior health officials are known to have argued that the contract needs to be taken off Serco to help restore public confidence in patient care at the beleaguered hospital.

It is believed the Government will also announce an inquiry into clinical services at the hospital after following demands by the Opposition for a parliamentary inquiry into continuing problems and the impact of privatised services under Serco, which manages most non-clinical services.

Last week, the Australian Medical Association called on the Government to investigate who awarded Serco the company the sterilisation contract and to review Serco contracts at the hospital.

In recent weeks the hospital has been plagued by sterilisation breaches, including blood and bone fragments found on medical instruments, as well as gaps in clinical services such as cancer therapy.

It was revealed last week that a 41-year-old patient died after being prescribed a drug that was incompatible with him.

AMA WA president Michael Gannon said his group would support the Government withdrawing Serco’s control of sterilisation services.

“Sterilisation is a core clinical service and privatising it has been a monumental policy failure that puts patients’ health and lives at risk,” Dr Gannon said.

“Serco clearly did not have the ability to provide this service, and questions need to be asked about why that decision was made.”

Australian Nursing Federation WA secretary Mark Olson said he had nothing against Serco but it was clear the sterilisation part of its contract had gone awry, prompting nurses to put in a range of extra procedures to ensure patient safety.

“As the Government starts the job of rebuilding the sterilisation service, it would be very unwise for them to ignore the input and advice from ANF members,” he said.