HEALTH CARE

Ms THOMPSON (Reynell) (14:10): Given that it is a day of indulgences, I also seek to be indulged.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr Williams interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for MacKillop, if you want to have a discussion, can you go outside and have it, please.

Ms THOMPSON: Madam, I seek your indulgence to recognise on this day the contributions of Catherine Helen Spence, Mary Lee and Elizabeth Nicholls, without whom we probably would not be celebrating today's events, and also to point out to those who think that these tapestries have no place here: you're wrong, we're keeping them.

The SPEAKER: Do you have a question, member for Reynell?

Ms THOMPSON: I do, indeed. My question is to the Minister for Health.

Mrs Redmond: Go the redheads!

Ms THOMPSON: Indeed.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! We know it is an important day for redheads today. We have our own ginger here.

Ms THOMPSON: My question is to the Minister for Health. How is the new, high-tech equipment ensuring that residents of southern Adelaide receive the best possible health care?

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Southern Suburbs, Minister Assisting the Premier in the Arts) (14:12): I thank the member for Reynell for this question and acknowledge her great interest in health services, particularly in the southern suburbs, because she and I represent that fine community. The government is investing more than $5.5 million dollars in new medical equipment at the Flinders Medical Centre, the Repatriation General Hospital and the Noarlunga Health Service to provide improved health services for people in the south.

FMC, for example, has received $1.5 million for a new digital angiography suite, ensuring that the most modern equipment is available for services, including high-end vascular angiography. An amount of $760,000 has also been provided for new physiological monitoring equipment to support the redeveloped and expanded intensive care facility. A digital general x-ray unit has been acquired at a cost of $390,000 for the emergency department; and $930,000 has been provided for the acquisition of five state-of-the-art ultrasound machines for the Flinders Medical Centre and the Repatriation General Hospital. The FMC will receive two units for cardiac services and two for medical imaging, and the Repat General Hospital will receive one unit for cardiac services.

More than $1.8 million has been invested for other medical equipment in these two hospitals, including equipment for vascular, orthopaedic, urology and oral services, and for theatres and sterilising equipment. The Noarlunga Health Service received $148,400 for new medical equipment, including two satellite renal dialysis machines. This new equipment will supplement our expansive capital works projects in the south.

The government is working hard to improve health services to the residents of southern Adelaide. A $163 million redevelopment of the Flinders Medical Centre has already delivered a new maternity wing and is currently expanding the emergency department and the intensive care unit. A further $31 million has been allocated to upgrading the Noarlunga Health Service. Work is well underway on the $26.5 million GP Plus Health Care Centre at Marion, which will offer a range of services, including: general practitioners, medical specialist services, dental services, early childhood services (including speech pathology and occupational therapy), health services for older people, and help for people with chronic conditions.

In addition, work has commenced on the $25 million Noarlunga GP Plus Super Clinic, built in partnership with the commonwealth government. The super clinic will open later this year and will include a general practitioner service available to the public, as well as services for patients with chronic and complex conditions. Practice nurses, specialists, dentists and allied health providers will also be available from that site. Of course, the Aldinga GP Plus Health Care Centre has been operational since 2006. By building new world-class facilities and equipping these facilities with the latest equipment in Adelaide and in the country, we are providing our hardworking doctors and nurses with the facilities and equipment that they need to provide the very best possible health care to our citizens.