EATING DISORDER UNIT

Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (14:32): My question is to the Minister for Health. What is the point of conducting a third review into statewide eating disorder services when the minister has already made the decision to close Ward 4G at Flinders Medical Centre? In a letter three weeks ago to Mr Aaron Fornarino, the Acting Chief Executive of the Department of Health, David Swan, said:

The six weight disorder beds in Ward 4G will move to the Margaret Tobin Centre, also located at [Flinders Medical Centre], during the first half of 2011, with the current team co-locating with the move.

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) (14:33): I thank the member for his question. There are just a couple of points I would make about it. Firstly, obviously he did not listen to what I said. I said, in response to the concerns raised by people, that we were going to go through this review process, develop a statewide plan.

The second point I make is that we are not talking about closing Ward 4G down. Ward 4G is a mixed ward, which has a range of things happening in it. What we are doing is talking about trying to develop a service which will best provide care for those who need it in our community. That is what we are trying to do right across the board in health and every time we try to do anything which makes sense, which will improve things, the opposition is, of course, opposed. They understand they are in opposition and there is a one word kind of definition of what that is: whatever the government wants to do they are opposed to it. I guess that gives them certainty in life, but it does not mean—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.D. HILL: —that we make any progress.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.D. HILL: Reform is difficult. Modernising our health system is difficult. It takes guts to do it, and we are doing in a way which we hope is sensitive to the needs of individuals concerned. Particularly in relation to the eating disorders, we want to work with the community to make sure we get a good outcome which will help them into the future.