KAPUNDA HOSPITAL

The Hon. G.M. GUNN (Stuart) (15:22): This morning I had the opportunity to attend a large gathering of my constituents at Kapunda to discuss the Country Health Care Plan. One of the recommendations in that plan is to take obstetrics away from Kapunda. An article in The Leader of Wednesday 18 June headed 'State award for Kapunda Health Service' states:

The staff of the Kapunda Health Service held a morning tea on June 3 to celebrate receiving the Johnson & Johnson 2007 Midwife Hospital of the Year Award for the second time. The Kapunda Health Service has been recognised as being the maternity hospital with the best and highest ratio of midwives versus birth rate having been nominated by new mothers, their families and members of the community. The award recognises commitment to providing a safe place, an abundance of choice and overwhelming support for women and their families. The midwives and nursing staff acknowledged past maternity clients and their families for nominations and recognition of their excellent service.

The article includes a photograph of Jo Liersch, Sharon Saegenschnitter, Sue Kelly, Deb Trotta and Sharon Steinert (from Johnson & Johnson).

This really does bring into focus the fact that thought has not been given to this proposal. This hospital is providing an excellent service and is supported by the community. In the past couple of years the community raised funds to put in a helipad. The former health minister would know that there was no government money whatsoever. The Rotary Club organised it. Members should go to the hospital to look at the honour board. On that occasion, the local doctor, Dr Lecons, made a very considered speech. He said:

In 2007, 73 babies were born at Kapunda Hospital. This will increase with time. In 2007 we performed 395 operations. The disciplines included general surgery, neurology, orthopaedics, ear, nose and throat, gynaecology and gastrology. We have an average of 10 patients a day in the hospital. We have a capacity for 24 acute inpatients if required. We provide other services, but every service that I have mentioned would be lost if the Kapunda Hospital becomes a GP Plus emergency hospital as outlined within the Country Health Care Plan.

In terms of staffing, we are very strong. Whilst there have been recent issues with the recruitment for local doctors to Kapunda, we are now in a very strong position. Amongst our GPs we have a general surgeon, three obstetricians and two anaesthetists available to us. The success of our recruitment has been entirely due to the availability of procedural work at the Kapunda Hospital.

When you have a good program and a good facility, why would you want to change it? Why would you want to change a service that has been so well supported over generations? Those communities believe that those hospitals belong to them. It was a sad day when they took away their boards, but amalgamation really meant elimination. I will make available to the minister a copy of this letter, and I mention the minister's bureaucrats, including George Beltchev. I doubt whether poor, old George, in his bureaucratic ways, can get much right. He certainly has not got this right.

I really would not give him a second chance—fail once, give someone else a go. Country people absolutely support their hospitals, and if you want to get them offside or get them stirred up, start to remove health services. I am someone who lives 650 kilometres from Adelaide; I actually understand a bit about distance. For the benefit of the minister, Leigh Creek is about 260 kilometres from Port Augusta. The other Saturday night we were at Blinman. Some lads were enjoying themselves and one fell down a pit. They had to get the ambulance and take him to the hospital at Leigh Creek because you could not have got to Hawker. Fortunately, it was so wet, the road would have been impassable. Let us just take a step backwards. Why do you want to make things difficult for people?

Time expired.