COUNTRY HEALTH SERVICES

Ms BREUER (Giles) (14:28): My question is to the Minister for Health. As I have nine hospitals and 10 health services in my electorate, this is very important to me. How will the Country Health SA Board Health Advisory Council work with Country Health SA in the planning of country health services?

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health, Minister for the Southern Suburbs, Minister Assisting the Premier in the Arts) (14:28): I thank the member for Giles for her question. I acknowledge that she has many health services in her community and that she is a strong advocate for all of them. I was very pleased, just recently, to visit the Whyalla Hospital, where I met with over 100 volunteers who have given and continue to give great service to that hospital.

The Health Care Act 2008 dissolved local hospital boards and ensured that the Department of Health and, ultimately, the Minister for Health, would have direct responsibility and accountability for managing South Australia's public health system. This ensures a systemic approach to the delivery of health services.

In order to retain local knowledge and expertise within the system, the Health Care Act provided for the establishment of local Health Advisory Councils (HACs) to advise me on health issues related to specific groups or regions. In country areas the HACs will ensure that the strong link between communities and their health services is maintained. Individual hospitals have their own HACs and the Country Health SA Board HAC operates as an umbrella body to provide advice from a whole of country health perspective.

The Country Health SA Board works closely with other HACs and Country Health SA in planning country health services and advocating on behalf of the people of country South Australia. Today, I can announce that the new presiding member will be Mr Peter Blacker. Mr Blacker has been—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.D. HILL: How predictable? Well, it is predictable, because Mr Blacker has been a farmer on Eyre Peninsula for over 40 years and has been strongly involved in regional development issues across South Australia. He was a former and proud member of this house. He supported the conservative side for most of that time, I understand.

The Hon. K.A. Maywald: He was a former leader of the National Party.

The Hon. J.D. HILL: He was a former leader of the National Party. He did not achieve such high office as the current leader of the National Party, more is the pity, and, of course, he cut his teeth as a member of the Cummins Hospital Board and was very much involved in defending that hospital over the years.

He is well known and respected by country South Australians for his commitment to rural communities and, most recently, the wonderful work he did as chair of the Country Health Care Plan Task Force, and also for his role as chair of the Regional Communities Consultative Council.

Members of the HAC also include representatives from country communities, rural doctors, nurses, local HACs and Aboriginal health. The board will continue to hold meetings in country areas in order to meet with local HAC members as well as gain an improved understanding of the issues and circumstances that impact on local health service delivery.

The government is committed to providing country South Australians with the best possible health care. The 2009-10 budget guaranteed over $39 million in additional operating funds for country health in South Australia to help meet the increasing demand for health care services. The total operating expenditure budget for Country Health SA in 2009-10 is $630.4 million, which is a massive 66 per cent more than when we came to office in 2002.

I look forward to working with the new Country Health SA Board on the many health issues facing rural South Australians and looking at ways that we can improve and increase health services to those communities. I would also like to thank the outgoing members of the council for their assistance and advice over the past 12 months, and in particular the presiding member, Ms Barbara Hartwig. I am pleased to announce that Barbara's knowledge and expertise will not be lost to SA Health as she has become a member of the Health Performance Council.