Correctional Services, Protocol

A question put forward to the Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO (Minister for Correctional Services) regarding protocol in correctional services.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: I direct the following questions to the Minister for Correctional Services on the subject of joint system protocols between Prison Health Service and the Department for Correctional Services:

1. Has the minister viewed a copy of the protocol between the Prison Health Service and the Department for Corrections?

2. Did the minister approve the terms of the protocol?

3. Will the minister assure the public that no prisoner can be provided with sex performance enhancing drugs without the department and/or the minister being informed beforehand?

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO (Minister for Correctional Services): I really do not want to read my ministerial statement out again. I do not think I should have to, Mr President.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Perhaps if members opposite had been listening to the ministerial statement they would have heard what was said. Perhaps they ought to listen to the answer to the question in silence so they know what is said and then we might not get so many supplementary questions.

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO: I said I probably should not have to read out my ministerial statement again, but certainly—

The Hon. R.P. Wortley interjecting:

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO: Especially about 2001, I am reminded by the member behind me. Yes, we do have joint system protocols and, as I said in my ministerial statement, I have asked that they be further reviewed to ensure that something like this does not happen again.

Obviously, that drug has now been banned.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: I have a supplementary question. Is the minister confirming that she has sighted a copy of the joint system protocol?

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO: I have been provided with the downloaded version of the protocols. An enhanced version was put in place in 2005. They were revised between the Department for Correctional Services and the South Australian Prisoner Health Service, and they were about improving the sharing of information to ensure that prisoners were appropriately managed. The protocols, as they stand, do not eliminate patient-doctor confidentiality; therefore, a doctor would still not disclose the type of medication prescribed to a prisoner but would advise prison management on any medical issues that are relevant for the day-to-day management of that person.

For example, if a prisoner is diagnosed with severe depression and is medicated, the doctor will advise staff of the fact that the prisoner needs to be closely monitored. They will also advise of possible effects that the medication regime might have and how they impact on the prisoner’s behaviour.

As I said, those protocols are about to be reviewed again, and any Viagra-type drug is now banned.

Tuesday 27 March 2007

In reply to Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (20 November 2006).

In reply to Hon. NICK XENOPHON (20 November 2006).

In reply to Hon. R.I. LUCAS (20 November 2006).

In reply to Hon. R.D. LAWSON (20 November 2006).

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO: I am advised:

Prisoner and offender health services are provided by SA Prison Health Service which is a unit of the Central Northern Adelaide Health Service, Department for Health.

As a consequence of the entirely inappropriate circumstances in which the drug Cialis was provided to Bevan Von Einem, the Minister for Health has directed his medical staff that the drug, and other associated drugs for that matter, will not be issued again in a prison environment.

I totally support that decision.

The Health Minister and I have also instructed our respective Departments to further strengthen the provisions of the joint system protocols that were introduced in 2005, with an emphasis on disclosure of information, rather than withholding of information on the basis of doctor-patient confidentiality.

No prisoner has access to the internet. Some who are studying and require information from the internet, can approach their educational officer who will access the information on their behalf and provide it to the prisoner concerned.

In the unlikely situation that required a prisoner to fill out information online, this would only be authorised under the strict supervision of the educational officer.