“The inquiry deserves that response,” she said.
Minister Taylor was queried about the reason for her appointment by Greens MP Cate Faehrmann.
“So you come in as a result ... of some of the crises that have been highlighted during the regional health inquiry,some of the failings,” Ms Faehrmann said.
“You’ve come in as ‘Mrs Fix It’,is that right?’
“Well I hope so Ms Faerhmann,I think that will be for you to judge when I’ve had a bit more time in the job,” Minister Taylor responded.
The inquiry was inundated with more than 700 submissions as it travelled across the state for hearings.
It examined theHerald’sreports of a baby dying after its X-ray results were never checked,a woman whobled to death in an emergency department with no doctors on site and twin tragedies which struck the fathers ofjournalists Jamelle Wells and Liz Hayes.
Minister Taylor promised to re-establish a rural and regional health ministerial advisory taskforce,a body that was dissolved after former Health Minister Jillian Skinner left her post.
The taskforce would likely consist of clinicians,chief executives,the Rural Doctors’ Association and other “influential” people in regional health,she said.
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“Everything is on the table in terms of how we look at things,” Minister Taylor said.
At the hearing it was confirmed that 41 per cent of the NSW Health workforce have received their booster shot,according to the latest data which dates back to February 21.
Of the metropolitan workforce,43 per cent had received their third dose,compared to 41 per cent of the regional and rural workforce.
NSW Health Deputy Secretary Phil Minns said the data was likely to be an underestimation because there was a lag in recording vaccinations that took place privately. He also admitted workload demands were weighing on staff decision-making.
“We probably have had a sentiment from staff of just please don’t ask me to do something else right at the moment,” Mr Minns said.
“We’re hopeful that as the situation is recovering … that we’ll be able to go back to ask and ask them to complete that[third dose].”