2. Question No. 2—HealthDr SHANE RETI (Deputy Leader—National) to the Minister of HealthQuestion No. 2—Health2. Dr SHANE RETI (Deputy Leader—National) to the Minister of Health: What was he referring to in the House yesterday when he said that there were some DHB preparations that could have been done a little better" and what things if any could have been done a little better at Middlemore Hospital?Hon ANDREW LITTLE (Minister of Health): In relation to the first part of the member's question: as I said yesterday there were gaps in relation to DHBs who could have done a little better with fit-testing of masks and preparing and maintaining surge capacity in ICUs by ensuring additional nurses were trained and available to work in our ICUs if called upon. I want to reiterate that our health system has done an extraordinary job of stepping up and keeping New Zealanders safe through testing vaccinating and caring for COVID-19 patients alongside maintaining capacity to care for other patients as required. In relation to the second part of the member's question: Counties Manukau DHB has responded extremely well to the call to prepare for COVID-19 outbreaks. They actively participated in regional and national readiness preparation work. The DHB has confirmed that as of 30 June 2021 it had trained another 123 full-time equivalent nurses for ICU cover and it has reported that 80 percent of its staff have been fit tested. In relation to the COVID-19 - positive patient on a ward in Middlemore Hospital I'm satisfied that the clinicians at Middlemore Hospital made clinical decisions that they based on the best information they had at the time. Dr Shane Reti: How many coronavirus contacts of any type have arisen from the coronavirus-positive man placed in a shared room at Middlemore Hospital? Hon ANDREW LITTLE: Well we know that 29 Counties Manakau DHB health personnel have been stood down as close contacts we know that another three patients who were in the room that the chap at the centre of this event was in at the same time are regarded as close contacts and are isolating and are being tested and we know that there are family members who have been tested as well. I don't know the precise number but those are the classes of people who constitute contacts to this case. Dr Shane Reti: Given that answer how many casual contacts and close contacts have arisen from the positive coronavirus case at Middlemore Hospital? Hon ANDREW LITTLE: I don't have those numbers but what I can say is that the public health response has been assiduous and diligent and those who are required to isolate and to be subject to testing for a period of time have been isolating and will be tested. Dr Shane Reti: Were other people put into isolation rooms the same day as the coronavirus-positive man waited in a shared room for his test result and if so can he explain why this person wasn't placed in an isolation room? Hon ANDREW LITTLE: The clinical judgment made at the time on the basis of advice received by front-line clinicians working in the real world and real time was that at the time that this person presented with a fever and was tested for COVID it was to leave him where he was. The judgment was that that would be sufficient to contain any risk that he presented. He returned a positive test. He and others in the four-bedroom room were moved to isolation rooms but in the end the clinicians on the job at the time made the judgment they did with the information and advice that they had. Dr Shane Reti: Was an isolation room available for this man? Hon ANDREW LITTLE: I have read reports to say that none was; I haven't had that verified. I am not the front-line clinician in this case nor for that matter is that member. I trust and I back our front-line clinicians to make the judgments that they do in the circumstances that they are in in the middle of a pandemic. Dr Shane Reti: Does he accept that ultimately he is responsible for the coronavirus situation at Middlemore Hospital and not health staff? Hon ANDREW LITTLE: I don't think I've heard a more ridiculous question in this House in the short time I've been in Parliament. In the end we have a health system that has geared up to respond to the biggest pandemic the world has seen—I was going to say "this century" but perhaps even for longer than that and our health system has responded well. The one hospital that I think might be regarded as being at the centre of the pandemic in terms of response and in terms of keeping its staff safe its patients safe and its community safe is Middlemore Hospital and they have done an exemplary job. The clinicians in the circumstances that they're operating in and were operating in at the weekend made the best judgment they could with what information they had and the circumstances as they now are what they are. Dr Shane Reti: Point of order Mr Speaker. My question was: does he accept ultimate responsibility? SPEAKER: Well I probably should have stopped the Minister after his initial comment because he had answered the question right at the beginning and probably in a way which was not entirely parliamentary. But he made it very clear what his view was on that."