The WA health system welcomes the performance review of the PathWest Laboratory Information System (LIS) Replacement report by the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) and has accepted its five recommendations.

The review was conducted following concerns raised by the Director General, Department of Health (DOH) to the Auditor General. The performance of this project at the time (prior to July 2018) was under the governance of the North Metropolitan Health Service (NMHS).

Whilst the LIS project is a complex and challenging clinical support information and communications technology (ICT) project, the WA health system acknowledges the weaknesses in the governance and project management of the LIS replacement project under the NMHS and DOH. The DOH had taken appropriate steps to immediately improve the management and oversight of this project, once concerns became apparent to the DOH.

Revised governance and oversight bodies are now in place to ensure effective control of the final development and implementation of the LIS within a revised schedule.

The WA health system is also committed to building on its existing ICT governance systems and processes to improve project oversight and delivery. This includes:

• Application of a risk-based approach to ICT projects at the early stages of their development.
• The DOH will ensure its ICT governance systems are complemented by the service agreement process and its role in setting performance standards and expectations for the Health Service Providers (HSPs), including in relation to their delivery of ICT projects.
• The Department will continue to advance its performance monitoring and assurance function, particularly in relation to ICT projects.
• The Department will work with and support Health Support Services (HSS) in establishing further enhanced and clearer project management guidance including common standards, methodologies, templates, tools and governance frameworks to ensure successful management of ICT projects across the WA health system.
• All HSPs will be required to ensure that current and future ICT projects report to its Executive through normal processes and to the appropriate ICT Governance body.
• HSS is also establishing new functions and staff capabilities to improve program and project management capability to provide guidance and advice to HSPs. This will include the provision of tailored methodologies, templates and governance frameworks for projects of varying size, complexity and risk.