On 29 April 2022, the Commission commenced an evaluation of specific aspects of the practices, policies and procedures of the Central Adelaide Local Health Network, as they relate to the receipt, management, investigation and outcomes of complaints about the Network and its staff.

The Network comprises the Royal Adelaide Hospital, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre, Statewide Rehabilitation Services, and mental health services at the Glenside Health Service and other locations. It also delivers a range of specialised community and clinical health services across the state, including SA Dental, the SA Prison Health Service, and Statewide Clinical Support Services, which includes SA Pathology, BreastScreen SA, SA Medical Imaging and Pharmacy SA.

On 30 November 2022 the Evaluation of targeted aspects of the Central Adelaide Local Health Network report was tabled in Parliament and published on the Commission’s website.

The report was prepared in accordance with sections 40(3) and 41(2) of the ICAC Act 2012.

Read the report

Evaluation of targeted aspects of the Central Adelaide Local Health Network

Terms of reference

The evaluation examined:

1. The degree to which the Network’s systems and culture encourage reporting of wrongdoing, the means by which the Network provides opportunities to report, and the manner in which the Network receives and assesses reports of wrongdoing, including its compliance with the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2018.
2. The robustness of the decision-making within the Network related to complaints management and escalation to investigation, including the extent to which decisions are supported by adequate information, consistent with legislation and policy, and appropriately documented and consistent with other decisions.
3. The practices, policies and procedures in place to guide the appropriate conduct of internal investigations, including an audit to test the degree to which investigations are conducted objectively and according to the principles of procedural fairness and the rule against bias.
4. The extent to which disciplinary sanctions and outcomes (including managerial guidance):
   1. are imposed by the Network in a timely way
   2. reflect the seriousness of the proven conduct
   3. are consistent with sanctions and outcomes for similar conduct.

Supporting documents