Health Service Investigation report on Metro North's COVID-19 Ward Operation

Context of the report

On 12 July 2021, the Director-General of Queensland Health appointed Dr Paul Griffin and Ms Katherine Taylor to report on “matters relating to the management, administration and delivery of public sector health services specifically as they relate to Metro North Hospital and Health Service’s operation of its COVID-19 ward and its compliance with relevant COVID-19 public heath directions, guidelines and requirements.”

The Health Service Investigation was initiated following an instance where an unvaccinated staff member, working outside the COVID-19 ward at The Prince Charles Hospital, became infected with COVID-19 on 29 June 2021.

Findings of the report

The Director-General of Queensland Health received the Health Service Investigation report (PDF 2948 kB) from Dr Paul Griffin and Ms Katherine Taylor on Friday 20 August 2021.

The report found:

• no evidence Metro North Hospital and Health Service (MNHHS), or any individual, failed to comply with the Interim Infection Prevention and Control Guidelines for the management of COVID-19 in Health Care Settings Chief Health Officer Direction
• MNHHS had the appropriate policies, procedures and practices needed to comply with the Direction with respect to movement of patients, staff and third parties
• MNHHS had the appropriate policies, procedures and practices needed to comply with the Direction with respect to vaccination of workers
• MNHHS officers had an appropriate level of knowledge of, and compliance with, the policies and procedures for working in a COVID-19 ward
• some opportunities to strengthen infection control, both at MNHHS and in the public health system as a whole.