TRANSPLANT PATIENT

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:47): Is the Minister for Health aware of the transplant kidney that was sacrificed last weekend as a result of an SA Ambulance bungle, and, if so, what action has been taken? The opposition has been informed that last weekend a kidney became available for transplant. SA Ambulance was requested to collect an elderly recipient, a Mount Gambier resident, and deliver him to the RFDS at the local airport. SA Ambulance decided not to disturb their representative in Mount Gambier and called a taxi to transport the man instead.

The taxidriver collected the recipient, and then stopped at the local police station, apparently to report a personal matter, and told the recipient to wait in the car. As a result, he missed the transport back to Adelaide, the kidney was wasted, and the recipient still waits in Mount Gambier for a kidney.

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health, Minister for the Southern Suburbs, Minister Assisting the Premier in the Arts) (14:48): I thank the deputy leader for the question. I am not aware of the circumstances that she refers to. I will happily get a report. I would not want to make the judgments that she has made in asking that question. I will certainly check out the facts.

It would be regrettable if circumstances were such that a kidney, which had been donated, was wasted. I will point out to the house, though, that this year South Australia had a record number of organ donations, and we are now amongst the highest organ donors in the world. The success from the organ transplant schemes that we have in place in a number of our hospitals is absolutely outstanding. As I say, I am not aware of the circumstances she describes. I will get a report.