Delivering forensic medical examinations (follow-up audit)

Tabled Report 2: 2024–25

Tabled date

2024-09-27

Report year

2024-25

Community welfare Health Justice and public order

Entities audited

• Queensland Health

Recommendations

1. QAO's text Addressed to: implements its performance reporting framework to ensure victims of sexual assault are provided with timely and professional clinical care (Chapter 2) in accordance with the Ministerial Direction – Crisis Care Process. This

   implements its performance reporting framework to ensure victims of sexual assault are provided with timely and professional clinical care (Chapter 2) in accordance with the Ministerial Direction – Crisis Care Process. This should include:

   • developing and implementing reporting tools that allow each HHS to consistently record the time a victim commences a clinical care pathway, and any reasons for delay
   • regularly assessing whether HHSs are complying with the direction and delivering timely clinical care.

2. QAO's text Addressed to: ensures suitably trained forensic medical examiners are available across the state to provide timely forensic medical examinations to victims of sexual assault (Chapter 3). This

   ensures suitably trained forensic medical examiners are available across the state to provide timely forensic medical examinations to victims of sexual assault (Chapter 3). This should include:

   • monitoring the overall demand for forensic medical examinations across the state and implementing effective strategies to address any gaps in service
   • ensuring there is appropriate numbers and distribution of qualified forensic medical examiners to meet local needs, including those who specialise in delivering paediatric services to child victims of sexual assault
   • continuing to deliver training to doctors and nurses – including in regional, rural, and remote areas – in how to deliver forensic medical examinations, prepare court reports, and present evidence in court.

3. QAO's text Addressed to: improves its monitoring and reporting of the performance of HHSs in delivering forensic medical examinations to victims of sexual assault (Chapter 3). This

   improves its monitoring and reporting of the performance of HHSs in delivering forensic medical examinations to victims of sexual assault (Chapter 3). This should include:

   • developing and implementing reporting tools that allow each HHS to consistently record the time a hospital performs a forensic medical examination (as distinct from commencing a clinical care pathway), and the reasons for any delays
   • regularly assessing whether HHSs deliver timely and effective forensic medical examinations
   • ensuring forensic medical examiners are given feedback about the quality of the samples they take during an examination.

Authoritative report — Queensland Audit Office

Report PDF on QAO