1
00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,480
Speaker 1: And we know that more than one hundred Australians have

2
00:00:02,520 --> 00:00:06,080
Speaker 1: been repatriated back to Australia this morning on another flight

3
00:00:06,120 --> 00:00:08,479
Speaker 1: from overseas. And joining me on the line to talk

4
00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:11,399
Speaker 1: more about this is the Health Minister Attasha Files.

5
00:00:11,440 --> 00:00:12,520
Speaker 2: Good morning to you. Minister.

6
00:00:13,200 --> 00:00:15,200
Speaker 3: Good morning Katie. I lost you there for a second.

7
00:00:15,760 --> 00:00:20,520
Speaker 1: Sorry if you've got me now though obviously wonderful, excellent. Now, Minister,

8
00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:24,079
Speaker 1: how many arrived this morning on that repatriation flight and

9
00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:25,120
Speaker 1: where did they come from?

10
00:00:25,960 --> 00:00:29,640
Speaker 3: So, Katie, we're seeing the number of vulnerable Australians getting

11
00:00:29,640 --> 00:00:33,000
Speaker 3: home through our Howard Springs facility rising significantly this week.

12
00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:36,000
Speaker 3: We had one hundred and fifty people on that flight.

13
00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:38,320
Speaker 3: That was the figure that we're expecting. Of course, there's

14
00:00:38,360 --> 00:00:42,760
Speaker 3: always variation even as the gates people board at the

15
00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:45,400
Speaker 3: airport and the flight closes. But that flight came from

16
00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:48,519
Speaker 3: Chennai in India. We saw a flight arrive on Sunday

17
00:00:48,680 --> 00:00:51,920
Speaker 3: from Frankfort and we've got a flight this Thursday from Paris.

18
00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:55,440
Speaker 3: So the Australian government is working in partnership with us

19
00:00:55,440 --> 00:00:58,120
Speaker 3: on the team Ozmat team at Howard Springs to really

20
00:00:58,120 --> 00:01:00,480
Speaker 3: get these vulnerable of his home. They won't be home

21
00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:03,320
Speaker 3: for Christmas, but they certainly will be home for twenty

22
00:01:03,320 --> 00:01:05,959
Speaker 3: twenty one. And for some of these people, Katie, you know,

23
00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:07,640
Speaker 3: they've been away for many, many months. I know a

24
00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:10,080
Speaker 3: husband and wife that have been separated for twelve months.

25
00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:14,480
Speaker 3: You know, a young territory family just like us, went

26
00:01:14,520 --> 00:01:16,840
Speaker 3: back to see some relatives earlier in the year and

27
00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:19,839
Speaker 3: have just been trapped in Europe. So there's some really

28
00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:24,839
Speaker 3: stories of you know, really tragic stories and quite emotional.

29
00:01:24,880 --> 00:01:27,440
Speaker 3: But it's great to see these people getting home now, Minister.

30
00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:30,200
Speaker 1: I wasn't aware that we're actually going to be receiving

31
00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:34,200
Speaker 1: flights from places like Frankfurt and some well, one of

32
00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:36,560
Speaker 1: the other locations. I can't even remember where you said now,

33
00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:41,039
Speaker 1: but are we getting flights from sort of more, you know,

34
00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:44,000
Speaker 1: different locations than what we'd originally planned.

35
00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:46,800
Speaker 3: Yeah, Katie. So when we agreed to this program with

36
00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:49,720
Speaker 3: the Commonwealth Government, it was originally envisaged that the flights

37
00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:52,360
Speaker 3: would come from South Africa, India and out of London.

38
00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:57,280
Speaker 3: But through Foreign Affairs and defat the consular officials overseas,

39
00:01:57,800 --> 00:02:01,040
Speaker 3: decisions have been made to get those flights from other locations.

40
00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:03,520
Speaker 3: And this is about the numbers of vulnerable Australians. We've

41
00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:06,400
Speaker 3: seen that number of vulnerable Aussies. It was estimated to

42
00:02:06,440 --> 00:02:08,720
Speaker 3: be around thirty thousand and it's risen to around forty

43
00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:12,200
Speaker 3: thousand since this program started. And if we can get

44
00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:16,120
Speaker 3: people directly from the country or the closest port into Australia,

45
00:02:16,240 --> 00:02:18,440
Speaker 3: it saves them from having to go into another country

46
00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:21,480
Speaker 3: and potentially being trapped. So this is all based on

47
00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:24,880
Speaker 3: the evidence of those officials, based on the ground overseas

48
00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:27,480
Speaker 3: and working through with those vulnerable Australians.

49
00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:30,120
Speaker 1: All right, So obviously I know some people will be

50
00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:33,400
Speaker 1: thinking to themselves, will increase numbers could mean increase risk

51
00:02:33,600 --> 00:02:37,280
Speaker 1: to COVID getting out in the community. Thus far, though,

52
00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:40,959
Speaker 1: we've seen a really good job undertaken by the Ozmat

53
00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:45,120
Speaker 1: team out there at Howard Springs in terms of containing everything.

54
00:02:45,240 --> 00:02:49,480
Speaker 1: Even as those numbers of COVID have increased, Katie, this.

55
00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:53,120
Speaker 3: Virus has certainly, you know, it has ruined twenty twenty

56
00:02:53,160 --> 00:02:56,960
Speaker 3: for many people around the world. Its unpredictability is something

57
00:02:57,040 --> 00:03:00,280
Speaker 3: that has caused you know, in terms of deal with

58
00:03:00,360 --> 00:03:02,800
Speaker 3: it and how we treat people with it. We've been

59
00:03:02,919 --> 00:03:04,839
Speaker 3: very fortunate here in the territory that we haven't seen

60
00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:07,960
Speaker 3: that community transmission. We haven't seen any COVID deaths, but

61
00:03:08,400 --> 00:03:11,280
Speaker 3: these cases, these are vulnerable Australians and the reason that

62
00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:13,840
Speaker 3: they are in quarantine is because of these case numbers

63
00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:16,840
Speaker 3: that we're seeing that territories need to be reassured. It

64
00:03:16,960 --> 00:03:19,840
Speaker 3: is the platinum standard that is being run at Howard Springs.

65
00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:23,200
Speaker 3: I've viewed from the perimeter of the facility. I've seen

66
00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:26,560
Speaker 3: how hard the OZMAT team work. Their safety and the

67
00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:29,360
Speaker 3: safety of the broader Darwin and top end community is

68
00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:33,040
Speaker 3: the absolute priority. And so we've had the reviews into

69
00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:36,080
Speaker 3: quarantining and it's been acknowledged that the program we run

70
00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:39,800
Speaker 3: through OSMAT is the best that is possible.

71
00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:42,600
Speaker 1: All right, minister, let's move along because yesterday we learned

72
00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:44,240
Speaker 1: that police are going to be taken off some of

73
00:03:44,240 --> 00:03:46,840
Speaker 1: those border locations around the territory. They're going to be

74
00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:49,960
Speaker 1: pulled from eight remote border entry points.

75
00:03:50,160 --> 00:03:51,520
Speaker 2: Why was this decision made?

76
00:03:52,680 --> 00:03:55,560
Speaker 3: So in terms of the virus within Australia, we've seen

77
00:03:55,600 --> 00:03:58,080
Speaker 3: it come under control and we don't have any community

78
00:03:58,120 --> 00:04:02,600
Speaker 3: transmission presently. Will still need to complete those border forms, Katie,

79
00:04:02,640 --> 00:04:05,360
Speaker 3: and there's now an online version for them. This is

80
00:04:05,400 --> 00:04:08,960
Speaker 3: about managing police resources. So this is a decision. The

81
00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:11,840
Speaker 3: Police Commissioner is also the territory controller, so this is

82
00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:15,480
Speaker 3: a decision about best allocating those resources right now. We

83
00:04:15,480 --> 00:04:17,800
Speaker 3: can always step them up if we need to, but

84
00:04:17,839 --> 00:04:21,039
Speaker 3: it's also we're living with the virus and we will

85
00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:24,159
Speaker 3: have We've got the automatic number plate recognition in place

86
00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:27,240
Speaker 3: on these borders that aren't being utilized in high numbers,

87
00:04:28,120 --> 00:04:31,440
Speaker 3: and we will maintain that presence on those main roads.

88
00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:34,120
Speaker 3: We can always step resources up and it would go

89
00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:36,680
Speaker 3: back Katie. Remember early on we saw the outbreak in

90
00:04:36,839 --> 00:04:39,400
Speaker 3: the Kannanara Kimberley region and we made sure there was

91
00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:41,640
Speaker 3: resources there. So if we were to see an outbreak

92
00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:44,320
Speaker 3: in South Australia again, we would place resources on those

93
00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:47,440
Speaker 3: borders equally if it was in Western Australia. So this

94
00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:50,560
Speaker 3: is managing what has been a very long year. These

95
00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:53,599
Speaker 3: officers and the staff that have supported them from the AFP,

96
00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:57,120
Speaker 3: Defense and Public and Environmental Health have done an amazing job.

97
00:04:57,400 --> 00:04:59,560
Speaker 3: But this is based on risk and the risk right

98
00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:02,760
Speaker 3: now with the virus under control in Australia is low

99
00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:04,560
Speaker 3: and so this is an operational decision.

100
00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:06,680
Speaker 1: Yeah, look, I actually think it's the right decision to

101
00:05:06,720 --> 00:05:08,920
Speaker 1: make At this point, we don't have those hard boarders

102
00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:12,240
Speaker 1: in place, and we're managing things quite well. But like

103
00:05:12,279 --> 00:05:13,920
Speaker 1: you said, if we do see a hot spot, or

104
00:05:13,960 --> 00:05:16,240
Speaker 1: if we see a situation where things start to amp up,

105
00:05:16,680 --> 00:05:19,279
Speaker 1: there is the opportunity to deploy the police and those

106
00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:24,000
Speaker 1: health workers to those locations. Minister, let's move along, because

107
00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:27,719
Speaker 1: plenty of people are this morning scratching their heads wondering

108
00:05:27,839 --> 00:05:31,200
Speaker 1: why on Earth five thousand dollars was spent by a

109
00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:35,719
Speaker 1: government department on a Christmas tree. Did the Department of

110
00:05:35,760 --> 00:05:38,880
Speaker 1: Health seek approval from you, as the minister before making

111
00:05:38,880 --> 00:05:39,520
Speaker 1: this decision?

112
00:05:40,560 --> 00:05:44,279
Speaker 3: So, Katie, I wasn't aware of this decision until earlier

113
00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:47,039
Speaker 3: this week or over the weekend. I should say, no

114
00:05:47,080 --> 00:05:49,240
Speaker 3: one wants to be the Grinch at Christmas, but for me,

115
00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:51,720
Speaker 3: I would have preferred to see that money spent elsewhere.

116
00:05:51,760 --> 00:05:55,600
Speaker 3: We have had the health budget impacted by coronavirus, and

117
00:05:55,640 --> 00:05:58,760
Speaker 3: I've spoken with the chief executive, Katie, and she's acknowledged

118
00:05:58,800 --> 00:06:01,279
Speaker 3: it came from a good place about a gift giving program,

119
00:06:01,560 --> 00:06:03,520
Speaker 3: but it was a poor decision to pay that much

120
00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:05,599
Speaker 3: money for a Christmas tree. So I apologize as the

121
00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:09,159
Speaker 3: Minister for Health to Territorians. We of course acknowledge the

122
00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:11,360
Speaker 3: spirit at Christmas, but this is not a good use

123
00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:12,279
Speaker 3: of taxpayer dollars.

124
00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:15,200
Speaker 1: I mean, are you annoyed that you're having to apologize

125
00:06:15,200 --> 00:06:18,320
Speaker 1: for something though that wasn't your decision. It was the

126
00:06:18,400 --> 00:06:23,960
Speaker 1: department's decision and clearly money not very well spent. I mean,

127
00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:25,960
Speaker 1: if you want to raise money for charity, there's other

128
00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:28,479
Speaker 1: ways that it can be done, Katie.

129
00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:30,720
Speaker 3: The design behind the tree was that there would be

130
00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:33,480
Speaker 3: a gift giving program to three local charities, food Banks

131
00:06:33,520 --> 00:06:36,960
Speaker 3: of Vincent, De Paul and RSPCAS. I understand, but yes,

132
00:06:37,040 --> 00:06:39,920
Speaker 3: I would have expected smarter decisions to be made. Don't

133
00:06:39,920 --> 00:06:41,839
Speaker 3: want to be that Christmas grnch but to me, it's

134
00:06:41,839 --> 00:06:44,160
Speaker 3: not how we should be spending territory tax pay dollars

135
00:06:44,520 --> 00:06:45,640
Speaker 3: within the Health Department.

136
00:06:45,760 --> 00:06:48,000
Speaker 1: Well, and it really sort of goes to the line

137
00:06:48,080 --> 00:06:54,280
Speaker 1: that the opposition keeps running that the government is wasteful, Katie.

138
00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:56,480
Speaker 3: It came from a good place, is what I can

139
00:06:56,520 --> 00:06:59,039
Speaker 3: say to Territorians, but it is not in line with

140
00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:02,800
Speaker 3: community expectation. The chief executive, as I said, I've spoken

141
00:07:02,800 --> 00:07:07,080
Speaker 3: to her. She is very apologetic around this and sincerely

142
00:07:07,120 --> 00:07:09,080
Speaker 3: apologizes to the community as well.

143
00:07:09,279 --> 00:07:10,720
Speaker 2: So it's not going to be taken down though.

144
00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:12,800
Speaker 1: I mean, obviously that would not save the money, is

145
00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:14,840
Speaker 1: my guess, Katie.

146
00:07:15,080 --> 00:07:17,880
Speaker 3: I haven't asked for that. My understanding is that that

147
00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:21,360
Speaker 3: is in place, and that wouldn't rectify this situation. I

148
00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:23,120
Speaker 3: think we just need to acknowledge that it doesn't meet

149
00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:26,240
Speaker 3: community expectations and we won't see it again in the future.

150
00:07:26,400 --> 00:07:27,320
Speaker 2: Yeah, it really doesn't.

151
00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:29,680
Speaker 1: I mean, we've got people messaging through already about this

152
00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:30,760
Speaker 1: who are pretty annoyed.

153
00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:32,720
Speaker 2: There's no doubt about it, you know.

154
00:07:32,760 --> 00:07:35,120
Speaker 1: I've got one here that says, regarding the five thousand

155
00:07:35,120 --> 00:07:37,480
Speaker 1: dollar tree, makes me think of who signs off on

156
00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:39,960
Speaker 1: the purchase orders that they didn't think that that was

157
00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:42,960
Speaker 1: an exorbitant amount of money if they must use five

158
00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:46,000
Speaker 1: thousand dollars of taxpayers money in brackets, which should be

159
00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:48,360
Speaker 1: for the benefit of the community. I would have preferred

160
00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:52,360
Speaker 1: a competition for schools from low socioeconomic areas. They could

161
00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:56,440
Speaker 1: all make a Christmas tree, each using only found or

162
00:07:56,480 --> 00:08:00,200
Speaker 1: secondhand recycled objects, and then the best five schools get

163
00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:02,720
Speaker 1: a donation of one thousand dollars each to go towards

164
00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:04,880
Speaker 1: their library. I mean I think we could all come

165
00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:07,880
Speaker 1: up with better ways that five thousand dollars could be used.

166
00:08:08,800 --> 00:08:10,880
Speaker 3: I think you'll see that next Christmas. And that was

167
00:08:10,920 --> 00:08:13,200
Speaker 3: a great idea that was just suggested by your listener.

168
00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:15,480
Speaker 3: And as I said, not being that Christmas Grench. I

169
00:08:15,480 --> 00:08:17,920
Speaker 3: love Christmas. I love celebrating it. And there's other ways

170
00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:21,520
Speaker 3: in which this can come across that meets the community expectations.

171
00:08:21,560 --> 00:08:23,920
Speaker 3: Because clearly five thousand dollars on a Christmas treat does

172
00:08:23,960 --> 00:08:25,480
Speaker 3: not meet our community expectation.

173
00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:27,760
Speaker 2: No, it certainly doesn't. Minister.

174
00:08:27,840 --> 00:08:29,640
Speaker 1: Let's move along because I want to ask you about

175
00:08:29,640 --> 00:08:31,960
Speaker 1: some issues which have been raised with us about pain

176
00:08:32,040 --> 00:08:35,200
Speaker 1: management by our listeners last week. I just want you

177
00:08:35,240 --> 00:08:38,040
Speaker 1: to take a listen to Andrew. He got in contact

178
00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:40,480
Speaker 1: with us last week to talk about the issues that

179
00:08:40,559 --> 00:08:43,960
Speaker 1: he's having. Was seeing a pain specialist.

180
00:08:44,360 --> 00:08:45,240
Speaker 4: Before the operation.

181
00:08:45,360 --> 00:08:48,240
Speaker 5: I saw the emenstist and they said, have you ever had

182
00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:50,920
Speaker 5: administrating more theme pump? I said I have, but I'm

183
00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:53,520
Speaker 5: allergic for more scenes. They're going to get a sentinel

184
00:08:53,559 --> 00:08:55,960
Speaker 5: pump and put it on me, and this is done

185
00:08:55,960 --> 00:08:58,840
Speaker 5: by the pain team immediately following the operation. Anyway, this

186
00:08:58,960 --> 00:09:02,960
Speaker 5: didn't happen and sent home and within twelve hours my

187
00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:04,560
Speaker 5: wife had to ring an ambulance and I was back

188
00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:07,000
Speaker 5: in the hospital getting said it again because I was

189
00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:09,400
Speaker 5: in so much pain, and the hospital managed to get

190
00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:12,120
Speaker 5: it under control again, and they wrote a letter to

191
00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:15,040
Speaker 5: my private GP to really up the analgesia that he's

192
00:09:15,080 --> 00:09:17,680
Speaker 5: given me until I get to see the pain team. Meanwhile,

193
00:09:17,760 --> 00:09:20,079
Speaker 5: they had requested the paint team several times to come

194
00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:23,079
Speaker 5: and see me, which I didn't see them. So now

195
00:09:23,120 --> 00:09:26,439
Speaker 5: I'm out of hospital and it's been eleven weeks now

196
00:09:26,800 --> 00:09:29,200
Speaker 5: and I still haven't got an appointment with the pain team.

197
00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:31,440
Speaker 5: Three and a half weeks ago, they said, well, you

198
00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:32,640
Speaker 5: haven't filled in the form.

199
00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:35,400
Speaker 2: Oh, come on, I said what form?

200
00:09:35,640 --> 00:09:37,920
Speaker 4: And they said, there's a questionnaire you've got to fill

201
00:09:37,920 --> 00:09:39,560
Speaker 4: in before you can see us. I said, well, I

202
00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:42,280
Speaker 4: haven't even made advised to that. Yeah, and the doctor

203
00:09:42,320 --> 00:09:45,520
Speaker 4: keeps telling me I can't keep prescribing you this heavy analgesia.

204
00:09:46,080 --> 00:09:48,240
Speaker 4: And I've been ringing the paint team and they said

205
00:09:48,360 --> 00:09:51,080
Speaker 4: it's a matter of three hours. We haven't read your paperwork,

206
00:09:51,120 --> 00:09:52,960
Speaker 4: so we don't know how urgent yours.

207
00:09:52,679 --> 00:09:54,040
Speaker 2: Is yet, Minister.

208
00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:57,960
Speaker 1: Unfortunately, Andrew's call wasn't the only one we took.

209
00:09:58,400 --> 00:10:01,360
Speaker 2: We had several other people call to talk about.

210
00:10:01,160 --> 00:10:03,680
Speaker 1: The different issues that they've had in terms of being

211
00:10:03,720 --> 00:10:07,040
Speaker 1: able to get in to see the pain management team.

212
00:10:07,360 --> 00:10:09,640
Speaker 1: Have we got some kind of shortage here with that

213
00:10:09,679 --> 00:10:10,760
Speaker 1: pain management team?

214
00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:14,600
Speaker 3: So Katie, in terms of Andrew, I apologize for what

215
00:10:14,679 --> 00:10:16,640
Speaker 3: he's gone through and I'd be happy if his details

216
00:10:16,679 --> 00:10:19,080
Speaker 3: were passed on to us the department to look into that,

217
00:10:19,320 --> 00:10:21,640
Speaker 3: and equally for anyone that feels that the health system

218
00:10:21,640 --> 00:10:23,960
Speaker 3: has let them down, there is processes within it for

219
00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:28,280
Speaker 3: them to make complaint. Pain management clinic is complex. It's

220
00:10:28,320 --> 00:10:30,280
Speaker 3: not about some pun at all for a broken leg.

221
00:10:30,320 --> 00:10:33,679
Speaker 3: It's long term chronic pain and these are serious drugs

222
00:10:33,679 --> 00:10:35,000
Speaker 3: that are being issued and there has to be a

223
00:10:35,040 --> 00:10:38,240
Speaker 3: strict process. I did speak with the department around this,

224
00:10:38,320 --> 00:10:41,400
Speaker 3: and it's something where they use both psychological and neurological

225
00:10:41,480 --> 00:10:43,960
Speaker 3: support and the anethetists are involved in this, but we

226
00:10:44,000 --> 00:10:48,160
Speaker 3: do rely on a pain specialist from Interstate, and so

227
00:10:48,240 --> 00:10:51,600
Speaker 3: I've asked the department to look into this issue and

228
00:10:51,640 --> 00:10:54,679
Speaker 3: to see if there's a way, particularly using telehealth, that

229
00:10:54,760 --> 00:10:58,000
Speaker 3: we can help escalate some of these cases where it

230
00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:01,360
Speaker 3: sounds like Territorians really need access to that. We need

231
00:11:01,400 --> 00:11:03,679
Speaker 3: to be careful. These are schedulate drugs. These are a

232
00:11:03,800 --> 00:11:05,719
Speaker 3: drugs that in the wrong hands, could cause quite a

233
00:11:05,760 --> 00:11:08,360
Speaker 3: lot of damage in our community. And so I've asked

234
00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:11,520
Speaker 3: them to look into that issue around wait times for

235
00:11:11,679 --> 00:11:14,120
Speaker 3: territories and what they can do to resolve that so

236
00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:16,720
Speaker 3: they can manage their pain through the Christmas period, but

237
00:11:16,760 --> 00:11:19,559
Speaker 3: at the same time make sure the broader community is protected.

238
00:11:19,679 --> 00:11:22,320
Speaker 1: Do you have any idea what the average weight time

239
00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:26,800
Speaker 1: is for people being able to get into that pain

240
00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:29,040
Speaker 1: management clinic, Katie.

241
00:11:29,280 --> 00:11:31,840
Speaker 3: They're triarged and so it might be an individual that's

242
00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:34,480
Speaker 3: having an operation that might need drugs to then manage

243
00:11:34,480 --> 00:11:36,719
Speaker 3: themselves post that, or it might be someone that's got

244
00:11:36,720 --> 00:11:39,640
Speaker 3: a long term health condition that needs drugs. I don't

245
00:11:39,640 --> 00:11:42,160
Speaker 3: have the specifics around the weight list times and they

246
00:11:42,160 --> 00:11:44,679
Speaker 3: would vary as their triarge which brings me back to

247
00:11:44,720 --> 00:11:48,840
Speaker 3: another important point for people. If they are weightlisted not

248
00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:51,559
Speaker 3: only for pain management clinic but for other health services,

249
00:11:51,720 --> 00:11:54,200
Speaker 3: they can always go back to their GP and explain

250
00:11:54,240 --> 00:11:56,719
Speaker 3: that their condition they believe is worsening and it can

251
00:11:56,760 --> 00:12:00,560
Speaker 3: be triarged up by health. So certainly, in terms of

252
00:12:00,559 --> 00:12:03,360
Speaker 3: this specific issue, it does rely on a pain specialist

253
00:12:03,840 --> 00:12:06,400
Speaker 3: and specialists from the state, and so I've asked the

254
00:12:06,440 --> 00:12:09,600
Speaker 3: department of course that's been impacted with COVID, what they

255
00:12:09,640 --> 00:12:12,720
Speaker 3: can do to help deal with some of these people

256
00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:13,320
Speaker 3: that are waiting.

257
00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:16,240
Speaker 1: Yeah, because I thought, you know, certainly from the calls

258
00:12:16,240 --> 00:12:18,520
Speaker 1: that we've had, and we have had quite a few.

259
00:12:18,960 --> 00:12:21,280
Speaker 1: From the calls that we've had, people are quite understanding

260
00:12:21,280 --> 00:12:23,720
Speaker 1: of the fact that they know that they're quite heavy drugs,

261
00:12:23,760 --> 00:12:26,880
Speaker 1: that you know, that they're having to be prescribed. They

262
00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:29,960
Speaker 1: understand that side of things, but it hasn't been the

263
00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:32,720
Speaker 1: issue of being able to actually get that prescription.

264
00:12:32,880 --> 00:12:35,079
Speaker 2: Their GP or their you.

265
00:12:35,040 --> 00:12:39,040
Speaker 1: Know, their surgeon has then given them the letter obviously

266
00:12:39,120 --> 00:12:42,640
Speaker 1: to refer them to the pain specialist, but the wait

267
00:12:42,679 --> 00:12:44,959
Speaker 1: list has been so long that, as you've heard there

268
00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:47,600
Speaker 1: from Andrew, in some cases they're having to be taken

269
00:12:47,640 --> 00:12:49,319
Speaker 1: to the hospital in the ambulance.

270
00:12:50,200 --> 00:12:52,840
Speaker 3: Yeah, Katie, And this is, as I said, highly complex.

271
00:12:53,080 --> 00:12:57,480
Speaker 3: It uses a number of supports, psychological, neurological. It's it's

272
00:12:57,559 --> 00:13:00,600
Speaker 3: quite a complex process to relieve someone of that pain,

273
00:13:00,640 --> 00:13:03,240
Speaker 3: long term chronic pain. We're not just talking about someone

274
00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:05,560
Speaker 3: you know that's injured themselves and need some pun at

275
00:13:05,600 --> 00:13:07,480
Speaker 3: all to tie them over till it heels. So I've

276
00:13:07,520 --> 00:13:10,079
Speaker 3: asked a department, based on this feedback to provide some

277
00:13:10,440 --> 00:13:13,080
Speaker 3: options to these people so that we can ensure that

278
00:13:13,120 --> 00:13:15,280
Speaker 3: they receive the care that they need, whilst at the

279
00:13:15,320 --> 00:13:18,600
Speaker 3: same time protecting the community potentially from the misuse of

280
00:13:18,600 --> 00:13:20,679
Speaker 3: those drugs and to get people off this medicine. I mean,

281
00:13:20,679 --> 00:13:22,760
Speaker 3: no one wants to be on long term medication. They

282
00:13:22,760 --> 00:13:24,520
Speaker 3: want to resolve their issue and they want to be

283
00:13:24,559 --> 00:13:26,320
Speaker 3: a part of our community, happy and healthy.

284
00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:29,120
Speaker 1: Well, what we might do is we might get the

285
00:13:29,280 --> 00:13:32,480
Speaker 1: details of those callers across to your office so that

286
00:13:33,080 --> 00:13:35,000
Speaker 1: you know, so that they know that it is being

287
00:13:35,040 --> 00:13:38,080
Speaker 1: looked into. We all know it's really complex. But then

288
00:13:38,120 --> 00:13:40,200
Speaker 1: we'll also talk to you again I reckon down the

289
00:13:40,240 --> 00:13:42,240
Speaker 1: track to find out sort of where things are at

290
00:13:42,679 --> 00:13:45,719
Speaker 1: with the pain management in terms of that clinic and

291
00:13:46,360 --> 00:13:48,760
Speaker 1: whether there is some changes that could come into play

292
00:13:48,800 --> 00:13:51,600
Speaker 1: to ensure that territorianes are able to see someone more quickly,

293
00:13:52,480 --> 00:13:53,040
Speaker 1: of course.

294
00:13:52,920 --> 00:13:56,040
Speaker 3: Katie, and just to provide some information to your listeners.

295
00:13:56,040 --> 00:13:57,640
Speaker 3: I mean that we don't look. We love to answer

296
00:13:57,640 --> 00:13:59,120
Speaker 3: your calls and have a chat, and of course we'll

297
00:13:59,160 --> 00:14:01,720
Speaker 3: always do that, but there are processes for them. So,

298
00:14:01,800 --> 00:14:04,040
Speaker 3: as I mentioned, if someone feels that their condition, no

299
00:14:04,080 --> 00:14:06,679
Speaker 3: matter what it is, has deteriorated. Of course, if it's

300
00:14:06,679 --> 00:14:09,040
Speaker 3: in an emergency, they call trip below, but their GP

301
00:14:09,160 --> 00:14:12,160
Speaker 3: can help them escalate whatever specialist appointment they need, and

302
00:14:12,200 --> 00:14:15,960
Speaker 3: we have seen significant interruption to specialist appointments. The patient

303
00:14:16,000 --> 00:14:18,040
Speaker 3: advocate at the hospital is also a point of call.

304
00:14:18,040 --> 00:14:20,760
Speaker 3: If you're really frustrated with the clinicians and you feel

305
00:14:20,760 --> 00:14:22,560
Speaker 3: that your message isn't getting through, you can ask for

306
00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:25,200
Speaker 3: a patient advocate at any point and explain to them

307
00:14:25,240 --> 00:14:27,320
Speaker 3: the frustration and their job is to try and help

308
00:14:27,400 --> 00:14:30,280
Speaker 3: resolve that. And if you know all of that doesn't work,

309
00:14:30,320 --> 00:14:32,600
Speaker 3: we have the Health Complaints Commissioner. So even if you

310
00:14:33,280 --> 00:14:36,160
Speaker 3: have something and we've got wonderful health staff Katie, there

311
00:14:36,200 --> 00:14:38,960
Speaker 3: are greater sasset and they've worked so tirelessly this year,

312
00:14:38,960 --> 00:14:42,240
Speaker 3: but sometimes things go wrong. It's a busy system. If

313
00:14:42,280 --> 00:14:44,880
Speaker 3: you have received the care but you think there could

314
00:14:44,920 --> 00:14:48,600
Speaker 3: be improvements, the Health Complaints Commissioner looks for systemic issues,

315
00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:51,200
Speaker 3: and so it might be that your personal issue has

316
00:14:51,200 --> 00:14:53,480
Speaker 3: been resolved, but you'd still like to voice that and

317
00:14:53,520 --> 00:14:56,000
Speaker 3: you can just visit their website and Steve Dunam, the

318
00:14:56,000 --> 00:14:58,880
Speaker 3: Health Complaints Commissioner, looks into a variety of issues, publishes

319
00:14:58,880 --> 00:15:01,880
Speaker 3: an annual report provides advice to the Department of Health.

320
00:15:02,120 --> 00:15:04,240
Speaker 1: Yeah, well, look, you know, from all accounts, what we've

321
00:15:04,240 --> 00:15:06,800
Speaker 1: heard from those listeners is with all of them, they've

322
00:15:06,800 --> 00:15:09,720
Speaker 1: actually been referred to a couple of times by their GPS

323
00:15:10,600 --> 00:15:13,360
Speaker 1: and they've still had to wait incredibly long periods of

324
00:15:13,400 --> 00:15:15,480
Speaker 1: time to be able to get in for what they've

325
00:15:15,520 --> 00:15:18,840
Speaker 1: described as chronic pain. So look, I think that this

326
00:15:18,960 --> 00:15:21,840
Speaker 1: gives us a bit further information. Hopefully we're able to

327
00:15:21,840 --> 00:15:24,080
Speaker 1: get some help for those territories, because like you said,

328
00:15:24,120 --> 00:15:25,840
Speaker 1: you know, we don't want to be in a situation

329
00:15:25,880 --> 00:15:29,120
Speaker 1: where anybody is suffering in pain for a long period

330
00:15:29,160 --> 00:15:33,280
Speaker 1: of time. Of course, Katie Well, Minister for Health, Natasha Files,

331
00:15:33,320 --> 00:15:35,240
Speaker 1: we are going to have to leave it there. Appreciate

332
00:15:35,280 --> 00:15:37,320
Speaker 1: your time this morning. Thank you very much for speaking

333
00:15:37,360 --> 00:15:37,720
Speaker 1: with us.

334
00:15:37,920 --> 00:15:38,520
Speaker 3: Thank you