1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:01,920 Speaker 1: Well, if you have just joined us this morning, we 2 00:00:01,960 --> 00:00:05,279 Speaker 1: know the Australian newspaper is reporting that a major liquefied 3 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:09,440 Speaker 1: natural gas processing facility Well here in Darwin, has released 4 00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:12,600 Speaker 1: a far greater amount of cancer causing pollutant for the 5 00:00:12,640 --> 00:00:16,799 Speaker 1: past seven years than initially reported. That is according to 6 00:00:16,840 --> 00:00:20,320 Speaker 1: this report by Leam Mendez in The Australian, and Well 7 00:00:20,440 --> 00:00:23,320 Speaker 1: has neglected to notify the public of the nature of 8 00:00:23,400 --> 00:00:28,200 Speaker 1: the emissions and details its own apparent failures in accurately 9 00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:32,640 Speaker 1: reporting dangerous emissions. So as we know, the ikthiz LNG 10 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:36,440 Speaker 1: processing facility, it's about ten ks from our CBD. It's 11 00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:40,680 Speaker 1: understood to have substantially underreported its emissions of what is 12 00:00:40,720 --> 00:00:45,080 Speaker 1: believed to be a lakemia causing chemical into the atmosphere 13 00:00:45,479 --> 00:00:49,559 Speaker 1: since at least two thousand and eighteen. That is according 14 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:52,960 Speaker 1: to this report in The Australian. Now joining me live 15 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:55,880 Speaker 1: on the line is doctor John Zorbist, who is the 16 00:00:55,920 --> 00:01:00,040 Speaker 1: head of the AMA, the Australian Medical Association here in 17 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:01,640 Speaker 1: Northern Territory. Good morning, DoD. 18 00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:04,640 Speaker 2: Disorbis, Morning, Katie, how are you here really? 19 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:06,680 Speaker 1: Well, Now, obviously we got you on the show to 20 00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:09,600 Speaker 1: talk about a raft of issues this morning, not related 21 00:01:09,600 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 1: to these doctor's orbis. But upon hearing this report, and 22 00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:15,559 Speaker 1: I'm sure you've probably seen a bit about it this morning, 23 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:17,600 Speaker 1: I mean, what do you make of it? 24 00:01:18,959 --> 00:01:23,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, seeing it all this morning, it's pretty alarming. You know. 25 00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:27,959 Speaker 2: Benzene is bad stuff. It's bad stuff. We've got strict 26 00:01:27,959 --> 00:01:32,520 Speaker 2: protocols in laboratories, in scientific laboratories for exposure to it. 27 00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:34,440 Speaker 2: It's stuff that we really have to keep you away 28 00:01:34,480 --> 00:01:38,679 Speaker 2: from to keep you safe. So a major plant within 29 00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:43,200 Speaker 2: cooy of Dalen and Palmestan leaking unacceptable amounts of benzine 30 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:45,920 Speaker 2: into the atmosphere is not what we want to be 31 00:01:45,959 --> 00:01:47,960 Speaker 2: reading on the paper first thing today. Absolutely not. 32 00:01:48,520 --> 00:01:50,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, look, no doubt there's going to be a lot 33 00:01:50,840 --> 00:01:54,840 Speaker 1: more questions to be asked and to be answered on this. 34 00:01:54,960 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 1: We know the Northern Territory government have indeed launched a 35 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:02,600 Speaker 1: full investigation or they have certain called for an urgent investigation. 36 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:04,440 Speaker 1: Do you think that goes far enough? 37 00:02:05,880 --> 00:02:07,800 Speaker 2: We want to see action wramp up here. I mean, 38 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:09,680 Speaker 2: a couple of weeks ago we were talking about a 39 00:02:09,720 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 2: major methane leak. Now we're talking about a bending leak. 40 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 2: And at what point do we start a sake accountability 41 00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:19,480 Speaker 2: for this. We're team to see the government urgently investigate 42 00:02:19,560 --> 00:02:22,000 Speaker 2: this and let's get the facts, you know, let's find 43 00:02:22,040 --> 00:02:25,440 Speaker 2: out what's happening. But you know, as a speaking to 44 00:02:25,480 --> 00:02:26,919 Speaker 2: you as a territory and let's I take my ana 45 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:28,600 Speaker 2: hat off for a second. I've got a kid who 46 00:02:28,639 --> 00:02:31,519 Speaker 2: was born here. Every breath he's taken as being this air, 47 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:33,200 Speaker 2: and I just don't think it should be a political 48 00:02:33,240 --> 00:02:35,160 Speaker 2: statement to want to breathe clean air. 49 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:39,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, look, we will certainly continue to talk about this issue. 50 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:40,920 Speaker 1: I know that we've put in a request to have 51 00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:42,960 Speaker 1: the Minister on the show tomorrow morning. I think all 52 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:45,600 Speaker 1: of us want some answers here. And I will note 53 00:02:45,639 --> 00:02:49,079 Speaker 1: that certainly impacts have come out and they have said 54 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:53,080 Speaker 1: that they continue to be proactive and transparent in sharing 55 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:57,560 Speaker 1: information with the nt EPA, So no doubt we'll hear 56 00:02:57,600 --> 00:03:00,560 Speaker 1: more about that. But look, Doctor's Orber series, so much 57 00:03:00,919 --> 00:03:03,359 Speaker 1: really to discuss with you this morning. I mean, yesterday 58 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:05,240 Speaker 1: we had a few listeners get in contact with us 59 00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:10,080 Speaker 1: about delays getting ambulances to the hospital, wait times at 60 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:13,959 Speaker 1: ed and ramping as well at the hospital. We know 61 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:17,600 Speaker 1: that the Northern Territories Health System is always under stress. 62 00:03:17,639 --> 00:03:20,040 Speaker 1: You and I have spoken on plenty of occasions, as 63 00:03:20,040 --> 00:03:24,560 Speaker 1: we had your predecessor, about federal funding and what is required, 64 00:03:24,600 --> 00:03:26,440 Speaker 1: But how are things going at the moment. 65 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:32,600 Speaker 2: They're not improving. We have long said and still saying 66 00:03:32,639 --> 00:03:34,640 Speaker 2: today that the root cause of all of this is 67 00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:38,320 Speaker 2: exit block. These are patients in the hospital who shouldn't 68 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 2: necessarily be in the hospital, patients taking up acute beds 69 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:44,400 Speaker 2: because there is nowhere for them to go, and that's 70 00:03:44,440 --> 00:03:47,360 Speaker 2: mostly a lack of age care beds. We have half 71 00:03:47,360 --> 00:03:49,640 Speaker 2: a number of age care beds per capita compared to 72 00:03:49,640 --> 00:03:52,560 Speaker 2: any other state or territory in Australia, and that puts 73 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:54,600 Speaker 2: us in a decision where the limited number of beds 74 00:03:54,640 --> 00:03:57,320 Speaker 2: we do have can't be used for the purposes that 75 00:03:57,360 --> 00:04:00,760 Speaker 2: we need them for. So this isn't about the paramedics. 76 00:04:00,760 --> 00:04:02,880 Speaker 2: They're doing a fantastic job. This isn't about the staff 77 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:05,600 Speaker 2: and our emergency departments, our doctors, our nurses. This is 78 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:07,760 Speaker 2: about the fact that there is just nowhere for these 79 00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:10,760 Speaker 2: patients to go, and it has become you know, we've 80 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:14,040 Speaker 2: normalized disaster and that routinely there are patients waiting twelve 81 00:04:14,160 --> 00:04:17,800 Speaker 2: twenty four hours days in some instances to get out 82 00:04:17,800 --> 00:04:20,120 Speaker 2: of the emergency department and into their ward bed. 83 00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:24,080 Speaker 1: Doctor's orbis. I mean, even yesterday we had people contacting 84 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:26,400 Speaker 1: us saying that, you know, they weren't able to actually 85 00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:29,200 Speaker 1: get an ambulance to the hospital. As you've seen, it 86 00:04:29,279 --> 00:04:31,480 Speaker 1: is not a criticism of the health stuff in any way, 87 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:33,960 Speaker 1: because what it's coming down to is the not being 88 00:04:33,960 --> 00:04:38,520 Speaker 1: a bed available. I mean, has the sort of has 89 00:04:38,560 --> 00:04:41,280 Speaker 1: there had to be measures put in place in an 90 00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:44,640 Speaker 1: effort to try and and you know, ease some of 91 00:04:44,640 --> 00:04:46,840 Speaker 1: that bed block. Over the last couple of. 92 00:04:46,760 --> 00:04:50,960 Speaker 2: Weeks, yeah, members have come to us with concerns about 93 00:04:51,080 --> 00:04:53,560 Speaker 2: the fact that we're not doing enough and we're not 94 00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:56,920 Speaker 2: doing it quickly enough. We've long said that there's systemic 95 00:04:57,000 --> 00:04:59,080 Speaker 2: underfunding in the health system, and we can point to 96 00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:01,479 Speaker 2: the exact areas as well. We're not just saying we 97 00:05:01,520 --> 00:05:03,800 Speaker 2: need more money. Everybody needs more money, but we can 98 00:05:03,839 --> 00:05:05,839 Speaker 2: see the exact points where where you compare us to 99 00:05:05,839 --> 00:05:10,440 Speaker 2: other states and territories, we're getting a raw deal until 100 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:13,680 Speaker 2: that's fixed. There's a lot of rearranging deck chairs on 101 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:16,560 Speaker 2: the Titanic to keep people safe, and double bunking is 102 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:19,320 Speaker 2: one of those examples where we turn one bed into two. 103 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:22,080 Speaker 2: It's supposed to be a stopgap measure, but it's essentially 104 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:24,840 Speaker 2: become normal practice up here as things have progressively gotten 105 00:05:24,839 --> 00:05:26,840 Speaker 2: worse and worse from a resourcing point of view. 106 00:05:27,320 --> 00:05:29,839 Speaker 1: I mean you said there that there's some specific areas 107 00:05:30,320 --> 00:05:33,279 Speaker 1: where we need to sort of fix out what is 108 00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:35,320 Speaker 1: urgent right now. What do you think needs to be 109 00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:36,359 Speaker 1: done fairly urgently? 110 00:05:37,720 --> 00:05:39,200 Speaker 2: I think the first thing we need to do is 111 00:05:39,240 --> 00:05:42,000 Speaker 2: bring us up to the average of the funding level 112 00:05:42,160 --> 00:05:44,960 Speaker 2: for our hospitals and healthcare systems compared to other states 113 00:05:44,960 --> 00:05:48,320 Speaker 2: and territories. So there's an agreement, the National Hospital Reform 114 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:51,880 Speaker 2: Agreement in RHA. The ministers have been meeting for some 115 00:05:51,960 --> 00:05:55,440 Speaker 2: time now. We're getting close to about two years across 116 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:58,159 Speaker 2: all of Australia going back and forth about what a 117 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:01,559 Speaker 2: fair amount of funding is. The NT gets about seven 118 00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:04,599 Speaker 2: to eight cent less than the average. Now that's hundreds 119 00:06:04,640 --> 00:06:07,320 Speaker 2: of millions of dollars. So for us to not even 120 00:06:07,360 --> 00:06:10,760 Speaker 2: be at the starting line, you know, of course we're 121 00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:12,520 Speaker 2: losing a fight with our arms tied behind that that 122 00:06:13,760 --> 00:06:18,159 Speaker 2: that is a priority we want to see the Health Minister's, federal, state, 123 00:06:18,240 --> 00:06:20,880 Speaker 2: territory governments come together and agree that this is not 124 00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:23,880 Speaker 2: a fair deal for the territory. Then there's other areas 125 00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:27,760 Speaker 2: like aged care, pre hospital retrieval, are remote health tech 126 00:06:27,760 --> 00:06:30,719 Speaker 2: clinics where you can see that there's tens of millions 127 00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:32,880 Speaker 2: that we're missing out on because the NT government has 128 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:36,440 Speaker 2: become the funder of last resort, so federal responsibilities that 129 00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:40,440 Speaker 2: the NT is having to bail out the commonwealth on look, 130 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:43,080 Speaker 2: you know, doctors are patients too, and I think every 131 00:06:43,120 --> 00:06:46,719 Speaker 2: citizen in the NT it doesn't matter whether this is 132 00:06:46,720 --> 00:06:49,480 Speaker 2: a state or a federal or a territory responsibility. At 133 00:06:49,520 --> 00:06:51,120 Speaker 2: the end of the day, people just want to fix 134 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:53,680 Speaker 2: And I don't think that's too much to ask when 135 00:06:53,680 --> 00:06:55,800 Speaker 2: it's so obvious that we're not getting a fair deal. 136 00:06:57,040 --> 00:07:00,440 Speaker 1: I mean, again, we've spoken about these issues on so 137 00:07:00,480 --> 00:07:03,080 Speaker 1: many occasions. There needs to be a really serious focus. 138 00:07:03,120 --> 00:07:06,279 Speaker 1: I think it is something that we are continually continuously 139 00:07:06,320 --> 00:07:08,719 Speaker 1: getting messages about. One of the big things though, over 140 00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:10,680 Speaker 1: the last sort of couple of weeks that we've had 141 00:07:10,880 --> 00:07:13,000 Speaker 1: quite a few people contact us about is the fact 142 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:15,560 Speaker 1: that the ambulances are having to ramp there at the 143 00:07:15,560 --> 00:07:19,080 Speaker 1: hospital because there isn't a bed in emergency, which I 144 00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:21,200 Speaker 1: think we're you know, we're sort of all aware of 145 00:07:21,240 --> 00:07:25,200 Speaker 1: the stress there under well that ed is under. I mean, 146 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:28,040 Speaker 1: are we like, are we at the point here Doctor's 147 00:07:28,120 --> 00:07:32,440 Speaker 1: orbis where we're in a code yellow situation or are 148 00:07:32,480 --> 00:07:35,720 Speaker 1: we not? Or are we just sort of continuously operating 149 00:07:35,760 --> 00:07:38,200 Speaker 1: at absolute full capacity? 150 00:07:39,160 --> 00:07:41,480 Speaker 2: Yeah? Yeah, Look, doctor's come to us saying that we 151 00:07:41,480 --> 00:07:44,320 Speaker 2: should be in a code yellow at various points during 152 00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:47,760 Speaker 2: the week or the month. I think we can lose 153 00:07:47,760 --> 00:07:50,400 Speaker 2: a lot of time arguing around the labels, but without 154 00:07:50,440 --> 00:07:52,760 Speaker 2: a doubt we are over capacity. There is not a 155 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:55,480 Speaker 2: single day but our health service is not trying to 156 00:07:55,520 --> 00:07:58,600 Speaker 2: serve more people than it's got the resourcing to serve. So, 157 00:07:58,640 --> 00:08:01,160 Speaker 2: whether we call it a coat yellow or not, do 158 00:08:01,200 --> 00:08:03,720 Speaker 2: we have the capacity to level what we need to No, 159 00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:05,800 Speaker 2: that's a resound now answer, and it's been like that 160 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:06,720 Speaker 2: for some time now. 161 00:08:07,160 --> 00:08:09,400 Speaker 1: Hey, what about when it comes to sort of patient travel, 162 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:12,280 Speaker 1: you know, patients having to be transported to the hospital 163 00:08:12,360 --> 00:08:15,160 Speaker 1: via various different means. I mean, is that sort of 164 00:08:15,280 --> 00:08:18,440 Speaker 1: still able to happen and are they still able to 165 00:08:19,080 --> 00:08:22,840 Speaker 1: be transported to our Royal Darwin Hospital emergency ward at 166 00:08:22,880 --> 00:08:23,280 Speaker 1: the moment. 167 00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:27,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, Again, it's one of those areas where the busier 168 00:08:27,200 --> 00:08:30,000 Speaker 2: the system gets the heart it is. So you know, 169 00:08:30,040 --> 00:08:32,319 Speaker 2: we've had we've had doctors telling us about patients who've 170 00:08:32,320 --> 00:08:36,040 Speaker 2: been waiting in say Catherine or go or clinic because 171 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:40,280 Speaker 2: the retrieval services are fled out, or because the charters 172 00:08:40,280 --> 00:08:44,200 Speaker 2: are full, So you know, it's that capacity. What I 173 00:08:44,200 --> 00:08:47,360 Speaker 2: will say is we're very vulnerable to problems in patient 174 00:08:47,360 --> 00:08:50,160 Speaker 2: travel because we're a very large part of the country 175 00:08:50,480 --> 00:08:53,439 Speaker 2: and so areas where you wouldn't notice disruption patient travel, 176 00:08:53,559 --> 00:08:57,120 Speaker 2: like in the city Melbourne or Sydney, we're very vulnerable 177 00:08:57,160 --> 00:08:59,360 Speaker 2: to these sorts of things. And coming into the wet season, 178 00:08:59,520 --> 00:09:01,080 Speaker 2: you know the web there is a factor as well 179 00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:03,480 Speaker 2: where the planes and helicopters just can't get to where 180 00:09:03,520 --> 00:09:06,880 Speaker 2: they need to. So even the smallest disruption in that 181 00:09:06,960 --> 00:09:09,480 Speaker 2: space can lead to big knock on effects down the 182 00:09:09,520 --> 00:09:11,320 Speaker 2: tract for patients doctor's albust. 183 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:14,240 Speaker 1: One of the other big issues, as we know of 184 00:09:14,880 --> 00:09:18,240 Speaker 1: quite a long period of time, has been the troubled 185 00:09:18,320 --> 00:09:23,079 Speaker 1: Acacia IT system. It was recently back in the headlines 186 00:09:23,120 --> 00:09:26,199 Speaker 1: as we know, an investigation launched amid allegations that a 187 00:09:26,280 --> 00:09:29,680 Speaker 1: contractor working on the Northern Territory government's troubled a Kaisha 188 00:09:29,760 --> 00:09:33,240 Speaker 1: it project was bullied and harassed before his sudden death 189 00:09:33,800 --> 00:09:37,280 Speaker 1: last month. Where are things that from your perspective, from 190 00:09:37,320 --> 00:09:40,920 Speaker 1: a clinical perspective, in terms of the rollout of that 191 00:09:40,960 --> 00:09:42,319 Speaker 1: Acacia it system. 192 00:09:43,480 --> 00:09:46,280 Speaker 2: So the plan at the moment is to bring Akesha 193 00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:49,480 Speaker 2: back to the Emergency Department in Royal Darwen in mid November. 194 00:09:50,440 --> 00:09:53,600 Speaker 2: We still got concerns around the Acacia program itself, but 195 00:09:53,640 --> 00:09:56,160 Speaker 2: also the program as a whole, going right back to 196 00:09:56,200 --> 00:09:59,760 Speaker 2: the start. We have spent hundreds of millions of dollars 197 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:01,600 Speaker 2: and we're going to end up with a piece of 198 00:10:01,640 --> 00:10:05,280 Speaker 2: software that is far smaller than it was designed to be. 199 00:10:05,520 --> 00:10:07,800 Speaker 2: So it was supposed to replace all the software that 200 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:11,160 Speaker 2: we use in the clinics and outreach services, so that 201 00:10:11,200 --> 00:10:13,520 Speaker 2: you'd have sort of one record to rule them all 202 00:10:13,679 --> 00:10:15,400 Speaker 2: and I'd be able to see what had happened in 203 00:10:15,400 --> 00:10:17,000 Speaker 2: the clinic. Now we're not going to have that. That 204 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:19,360 Speaker 2: part has been abandoned, or at least it hasn't been funded. 205 00:10:20,080 --> 00:10:23,120 Speaker 2: And so you know, come November December, that's it. What 206 00:10:23,160 --> 00:10:26,480 Speaker 2: we have is what we've got. This is a product 207 00:10:26,559 --> 00:10:28,560 Speaker 2: that had to be switched off because it was unsafe. 208 00:10:29,000 --> 00:10:32,000 Speaker 2: Now I know that, you know, the Department and the 209 00:10:32,040 --> 00:10:34,520 Speaker 2: government are working on making it safe and they're still 210 00:10:34,559 --> 00:10:38,240 Speaker 2: doing simulation and training and things like that. But ultimately, 211 00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:42,240 Speaker 2: this many millions of dollars for something that the doctors 212 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:45,200 Speaker 2: can't get excited about. We've got to be going back 213 00:10:45,240 --> 00:10:46,880 Speaker 2: to the start and asking questions about how we ended 214 00:10:46,920 --> 00:10:47,839 Speaker 2: up here in the first place. 215 00:10:47,920 --> 00:10:50,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, are you worried when that rolls out 216 00:10:50,440 --> 00:10:53,720 Speaker 1: in mid November? Are you worried about patient safety? 217 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:56,360 Speaker 2: I'm always worried about patience. 218 00:10:56,400 --> 00:10:56,600 Speaker 1: Yeah. 219 00:10:56,800 --> 00:10:59,959 Speaker 2: I think we doctors will do what they have all 220 00:11:00,240 --> 00:11:03,920 Speaker 2: done in unsafe situations, and that is revert to backup 221 00:11:03,960 --> 00:11:07,520 Speaker 2: mechanisms and different ways of doing things. So you know, 222 00:11:07,800 --> 00:11:10,520 Speaker 2: our outages or software glitches mean that from time to 223 00:11:10,559 --> 00:11:13,720 Speaker 2: time in all Australian hospitals, suddenly the electronic medical record 224 00:11:13,720 --> 00:11:16,120 Speaker 2: can't be accessed and we just start using paper. And 225 00:11:16,160 --> 00:11:18,800 Speaker 2: that's fine. That takes care of you. You're really urgent stuff, 226 00:11:18,800 --> 00:11:21,760 Speaker 2: your category ones, your category twos. But if the slow 227 00:11:21,840 --> 00:11:24,080 Speaker 2: stuff over time causes the real problem. If we have 228 00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:27,000 Speaker 2: a system that's hard to use, this clunky information can't 229 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:30,440 Speaker 2: be found quickly, that's when you get that really risk 230 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:32,800 Speaker 2: creeping in where it's not clear that the software is 231 00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:35,640 Speaker 2: the reason, and so people are missing appointments or they're 232 00:11:35,640 --> 00:11:38,360 Speaker 2: not getting the care they need in time. And it's 233 00:11:38,400 --> 00:11:40,480 Speaker 2: the little stuff that doesn't raid the giant red flags. 234 00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:42,520 Speaker 2: That's what we're really worried about. But that's a slow burn, 235 00:11:42,679 --> 00:11:45,520 Speaker 2: and that's you know something when a case comes, it's 236 00:11:45,559 --> 00:11:47,800 Speaker 2: not like we're going to stop where we're still heavily 237 00:11:47,840 --> 00:11:50,400 Speaker 2: focused on this. We think a good electronic or medical 238 00:11:50,400 --> 00:11:53,560 Speaker 2: record is a really important part of modern healthcare. And 239 00:11:53,640 --> 00:11:55,760 Speaker 2: for us, it's not good enough for us to say, well, 240 00:11:55,760 --> 00:11:57,319 Speaker 2: this has cost so much, we have to stop. No, 241 00:11:57,440 --> 00:11:59,360 Speaker 2: we can't stop. We've got to keep working and end 242 00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:01,199 Speaker 2: up with a system that does work for its doctors 243 00:12:01,240 --> 00:12:01,920 Speaker 2: and it's patients. 244 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:04,520 Speaker 1: I mean, given the recent reporting as well, though, are 245 00:12:04,600 --> 00:12:07,400 Speaker 1: you concerned about the mental health impacts of the people 246 00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:10,600 Speaker 1: being asked to implement this, you know, those that have 247 00:12:10,679 --> 00:12:13,880 Speaker 1: been working on it recently, but even for your own 248 00:12:14,040 --> 00:12:16,360 Speaker 1: you know, like even for the staff in emergency and 249 00:12:16,720 --> 00:12:18,360 Speaker 1: everywhere else as it rolls out. 250 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:23,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, last rollout in IRDH. I was on the radio 251 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:28,120 Speaker 2: at this time talking about experienced emergency physicians who have 252 00:12:28,200 --> 00:12:31,520 Speaker 2: been doing this job for twenty thirty years plus, and 253 00:12:31,520 --> 00:12:33,760 Speaker 2: they've worked in war zones. We're not talking about people 254 00:12:33,800 --> 00:12:37,240 Speaker 2: who are just fresh out of medical school, brought to 255 00:12:37,320 --> 00:12:40,720 Speaker 2: tears and essentially just you know, in another state of 256 00:12:40,720 --> 00:12:43,520 Speaker 2: shock in terms of their ability to provide care for 257 00:12:43,600 --> 00:12:46,280 Speaker 2: their patients. It takes a lot to break people like that. 258 00:12:46,600 --> 00:12:49,400 Speaker 2: We don't want to repeat that, and that's a concern 259 00:12:49,440 --> 00:12:51,640 Speaker 2: for hours, and we'll be making sure that that's front 260 00:12:51,640 --> 00:12:52,040 Speaker 2: and center. 261 00:12:52,280 --> 00:12:55,000 Speaker 1: And I mean, what about the impact of those, you know, 262 00:12:55,080 --> 00:12:59,280 Speaker 1: those being asked to implement it as well. 263 00:12:59,360 --> 00:13:01,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly, this isn't just about doctors. This is about 264 00:13:01,800 --> 00:13:06,280 Speaker 2: everybody involved in the project. Yeah, everybody who comes to work, 265 00:13:07,040 --> 00:13:08,560 Speaker 2: I think comes to work to do a good job. 266 00:13:08,640 --> 00:13:10,480 Speaker 2: It's very rare to find someone who's actively trying to 267 00:13:10,520 --> 00:13:13,000 Speaker 2: do a bad job, and they should be supported in that. 268 00:13:13,160 --> 00:13:15,480 Speaker 2: And we want to make sure that if there are problems, 269 00:13:15,480 --> 00:13:18,000 Speaker 2: that's managed properly. You know, we don't want things to 270 00:13:18,040 --> 00:13:19,839 Speaker 2: be such a mess that people are just yelling each 271 00:13:19,840 --> 00:13:21,520 Speaker 2: other on the shop floor. We need to make sure 272 00:13:21,520 --> 00:13:24,400 Speaker 2: we do things properly and slowly. You can't just rush 273 00:13:24,440 --> 00:13:28,080 Speaker 2: things because there are financial deadlines or time deadlines. Safety 274 00:13:28,120 --> 00:13:30,720 Speaker 2: comes first when it comes to patient cares, especially somewhere 275 00:13:30,720 --> 00:13:31,760 Speaker 2: like the emergency department. 276 00:13:31,880 --> 00:13:33,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, so, what is your message, given the 277 00:13:33,679 --> 00:13:35,400 Speaker 1: fact that it's meant to come out like it's meant 278 00:13:35,400 --> 00:13:38,800 Speaker 1: to be operational mid NOVEMBA, what is your message for 279 00:13:38,880 --> 00:13:43,240 Speaker 1: those you know, trying to get it rolled out into 280 00:13:43,280 --> 00:13:45,640 Speaker 1: the ED. I would assume that you want to make 281 00:13:45,679 --> 00:13:49,320 Speaker 1: sure that any of those concerns are ironed out before 282 00:13:49,400 --> 00:13:50,280 Speaker 1: you're having to use it. 283 00:13:51,559 --> 00:13:53,800 Speaker 2: Our message is the same that it's always been, and 284 00:13:53,800 --> 00:13:56,160 Speaker 2: that's listening to your frontline staff. And when I say 285 00:13:56,200 --> 00:13:58,200 Speaker 2: frontline staff, I don't mean just your doctors. I mean 286 00:13:58,240 --> 00:14:01,559 Speaker 2: your nurses, your ward clerks, will lease eu ACACIA staff, 287 00:14:01,600 --> 00:14:04,480 Speaker 2: the people wearing orange shirts who have been employed to 288 00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:07,839 Speaker 2: help us implement it on the ground. You know, if 289 00:14:07,880 --> 00:14:09,920 Speaker 2: you're in the front line, if you're that, you know 290 00:14:10,040 --> 00:14:13,360 Speaker 2: that first layer in contact with patients, You're the one 291 00:14:13,400 --> 00:14:15,439 Speaker 2: seeing the problems. You're the one who knows how to 292 00:14:15,480 --> 00:14:18,640 Speaker 2: prioritize those problems. And our message to health and to 293 00:14:19,320 --> 00:14:23,000 Speaker 2: DCDD is simple, listen to your front line staff. Take 294 00:14:23,040 --> 00:14:26,280 Speaker 2: their concerns seriously. They can't just die in a committee. 295 00:14:27,240 --> 00:14:31,040 Speaker 1: Well. Doctor John zorbis, the head of the AMA here 296 00:14:31,040 --> 00:14:33,720 Speaker 1: in the Northern Territory. Always appreciate your time. I know 297 00:14:33,760 --> 00:14:35,120 Speaker 1: you're a busy man. Thank you. 298 00:14:35,920 --> 00:14:37,040 Speaker 2: Thanks, Bettie, appreciate it. 299 00:14:37,040 --> 00:14:37,640 Speaker 1: Thanks so much.