ALDINGA GP PLUS HEALTH CARE CENTRE

Mr BIGNELL (Mawson) (14:40): My question is to the Minister for Health. What has been the impact of the government's first GP Plus health care centre located in Aldinga, and is it helping local families to access health care?

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health, Minister for the Southern Suburbs, Minister Assisting the Premier in the Arts) (14:40): I thank the member for Mawson for his question and acknowledge his great interest in the GP Plus health care centre at Aldinga. As part of the government's Health Care Plan, members would know that we are building GP Plus health care centres to deliver more health services to local communities. This is very much a direct outcome of the Generational Health Review (GHR) which said that government needs to put a greater emphasis on primary health care and prevention.

The first GP Plus health care centre is located at Aldinga and it has now celebrated its first year in operation. Because it is the first of its kind, we have looked at it very closely. We have monitored it very closely and, although it is a relatively small centre, it has already had a big impact. I am advised that about 30 families visit the centre to see a GP on any given night of the week. Many of these people would otherwise have ended up at the emergency department (ED) of the Noarlunga Hospital, if this service had not been provided.

I advise the house that, for the first 12 months, there has been a 16 per cent reduction in attendances at Noarlunga ED from the Aldinga area compared to the previous year. That is, a 16 per cent reduction (over the course of one year) in attendance by people in the Aldinga area to the ED at Noarlunga because they now have a viable service which is a GP service providing a bulk billed, after hours service at Aldinga.

During that same period, of course, the population of the Aldinga area has grown very strongly. The Aldinga GP Plus health care centre has GPs available from 6pm until 10pm Monday to Friday, 1pm until 8pm on Saturdays and 10am until 6pm on Sundays. There have been more than 12,500 visits to the Aldinga GP Plus in that time with more than half (about 6,900) going to see a GP. The other visits have accessed a range of health services, including antenatal care, diabetes management, immunisation, mental health services and podiatry. In all, there are 12 different services available, with more to come, including a new program for people suffering from chronic asthma.

One of the new services at the centre is the health assessment clinic which is run on Saturday mornings. It is run by the Flinders University Medical School and Southern Health. Importantly, this is a clinic where medical students, under supervision, provide health assessments and advice. I am told that recently a Spanish couple attended the clinic and were delighted when a Spanish-speaking student was able to carry out the entire consultation in the Spanish language.

I am also told that, if the GP Plus health care clinic is ever quiet, the clinic calls the Noarlunga emergency department and suggest that if they have any people from the Aldinga area who can be seen properly by a GP to invite them to come down to the GP Plus centre so that they will not have to wait as long, which is an excellent service.

Local residents have been literally voting with their feet. I am also advised that the Woodville GP Plus health care centre, which has been open for less time, is seeing an equivalent number of people, and no doubt it is having an impact on that area. As members know, we have an ambition to build 10 of these. One is currently planned for the Elizabeth area, and that is under design. Similarly, another is planned for the Marion area.

I am very pleased to say that, if Kevin Rudd is elected as prime minister on Saturday, superclinics which are built on the same model will be established at Modbury, Noarlunga and Playford North, so that would mean a greater provision of services, taking pressure off our hospitals and providing services closer to where people live in accord with the GHR, that is, to provide greater primary health care and greater prevention services. That is an area where state government traditionally has not ventured, but this government is very pleased to be taking those steps.