Please attribute the following to Queensland Health Director-General Dr John Wakefield:
Today Queensland Health is releasing findings of the investigation into the North Rockhampton Nursing Centre where a nurse tested positive to COVID-19 in May this year.
I would like to thank those people involved in the investigation and in the incident response.
The investigation found the nurse did not breach Aged Care Direction No. 3.
We have notified the nurse of the findings.
The investigation also found the public health response to the case was appropriate, with health officials working extremely well and conscientiously to prevent an outbreak at the centre.
As we have seen in other states, a COVID-19 outbreak in an aged care facility can be catastrophic, which is why we immediately took strong, decisive action.
Queensland Health has left no stone unturned in taking steps to keep Queenslanders safe since the very beginning of this pandemic.
We have taken every opportunity to apply what we have learned, including from this event, for the benefit of Queenslanders.
This includes changes to staffing and pandemic leave, pre-shift screening, training, infection control procedures, and, of course, swift and effective action in the event of a case. It is these actions, along with our culture of continuous learning and improvement, that has kept COVID out of our residential aged care facilities.
I do want to remind everyone – particularly health and aged care staff – to stay home and get tested if you have any Covid-19 symptoms.
The report is being released with confidential and privacy information redacted.
