RENAL SERVICE

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health, Minister for the Southern Suburbs, Minister Assisting the Premier in the Arts) (15:06): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.D. HILL: As the government announced in June last year, our internationally acclaimed renal service will bring its services together on one site at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. Our renal service is already recognised world wide for the quality of patient care, the standard of training programs and its extensive research program. The collocation services will enable it to grow further by expanding its research program. It will be co-directed by Professor Graeme Russ, the current Director of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Renal Unit, and Associate Professor Kim Bannister, the current Director of the Royal Adelaide Hospital Renal Unit.

Since the announcement was made, planning has been undertaken for the move, and it is expected that work on a new ward will commence later this year, and that is expected to take 18 months to complete. The relocation of acute renal services is part of a suite of upgrades to the Royal Adelaide Hospital that was announced as part of the Health Care Plan funding.

The first component, totalling $9.406 million, includes relocating dermatology, outpatients and other services, upgrading a number of wards, including the spinal injury unit, and the removal of asbestos. The second component of these upgrades relating to the renal unit include laboratory improvements, upgrades and extensions to lifts, the medical breathing air system and the cooling tower in the allied health building, at a total cost of $5.934 million.

While we build the Marjorie Jackson-Nelson Hospital, it is important that the Royal Adelaide Hospital continues to play its pivotal role as the major hospital in this state. South Australians deserve to continue receiving the best available health care while we reform the system as a whole. The need to increase the capacity and level of amenity at the Royal Adelaide Hospital was identified in the Health Care Plan, and the funding was committed in the 2006-07 budget.

Renal transplant patients will benefit from the new integrated renal service through access to a broader range of clinical services, including the intensive care unit and the complete range of services available only at a major tertiary hospital such as the RAH.

The current renal unit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital will continue to serve western suburbs patients requiring dialysis or outpatient treatment. Other renal services offered throughout the state will remain unchanged. Presently, 86 per cent of renal transplant patients live outside the natural catchment area of the QEH, which is in the western suburbs. The move to a more central location will be more convenient for the vast majority of renal transplant patients and their families.

This move is in line with the new roles for our hospitals, as outlined in our reform agenda. The Health Care plan identified the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Modbury Hospital, Repatriation General Hospital and the Noarlunga Health Service as general hospitals providing high-quality hospital services addressing the needs of their local communities.

As a general hospital, the Queen Elizabeth will tailor its services to meet the needs of the ageing population profile of the western suburbs. The relocation of the renal transplant unit from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital will allow 17 beds to be used to increase services in aged care, rehabilitation and palliative care services. The QEH will also take on more high-volume elective surgery procedures, reducing the possibility of elective surgery being cancelled in times of peak demand.

By relocating the renal transplant service to the Royal Adelaide Hospital now, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital can begin transitioning to its new role earlier. We will also be able to better allocate the new facilities as part of the QEH redevelopment. We have consulted with the doctors, nurses and allied health professionals and, of course, with patients during our planning of the integration of renal transplant services. The patients have been part of the planning team and have provided invaluable advice about the issues associated with the transfer, and I would like to thank them and the medical team for their cooperation through a process which I acknowledge has been difficult for them.

Car parking issues identified by patients are being addressed through a combination of alterations to clinical times, the provision of clinics for routine services outside the Royal Adelaide Hospital and the provision of some dedicated car-parking spaces during the two-week period post-transplant care.

Finally, I take this opportunity to acknowledge the long and distinguished history the Queen Elizabeth Hospital has in the provision of renal transplantation services. The renal unit has become internationally acclaimed for the quality of its patient care, the standard of its training programs and its extensive research program. Integrating the renal transplant service at the Royal Adelaide Hospital will enable it to grow further, to expand its research program and to take renal transplant services to an even higher level.