ABSTRACT
This chapter begins by examining the circumstances that have triggered public inquiries in this decade. It uses these inquiries as case studies to examine whether, and to what extent, public inquiries have a role in improving the quality and safety of health care in Australia, and whether or not the need for public inquiries can be prevented. The Minister for Health established the subsequent ‘Douglas Inquiry’ in 2001 in consultation with the state premier. It was established under the Hospitals and Health Services Act 1927 and the Public Sector Management Act 1994 of Western Australia, and led by a lawyer, Neil Douglas. In December 2000, the Community and Health Services Complaints Commissioner for the Australian Capital Territory received a request from the relevant minister to inquire into concerns about adverse neurosurgical patient outcomes at Canberra Hospital. A clinical review had been initiated in 1999, but did not proceed because of the lack of availability of the proposed international reviewers.
