CEDUNA DISTRICT HEALTH SERVICE

Mr BIGNELL (Mawson) (14:52): My question is also to the Minister for Health. Can the minister update the house about the redevelopment of the Ceduna District Health Service?

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) (14:52): It is good to get a positive question in this place, and I thank the member for Mawson—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.D. HILL: How cynical. I thank the member for Mawson, who is also my parliamentary secretary assisting me in regional health issues, for this question. I am pleased to advise members that the member for Mawson visited the Ceduna District Health Service just last week, and that followed a visit by the Premier the week before. So, the government has done a very good job of—

The Hon. P. Caica interjecting:

The Hon. J.D. HILL: And the minister for environment has been there as well. I don't know if he visited the hospital; I hope you didn't. I hope you didn't need to anyway. The Premier was there during a stopover in Ceduna.

Work is due to start this month on the second stage of the $36 million Ceduna District Health Service redevelopment. Stage 2 includes a new GP Plus healthcare centre, and that incorporates space for doctors, dentistry, community health, allied health, physiotherapy, mental health, and a day activity centre as well. This will be the first of the GP Plus healthcare centres to be established in regional South Australia. The other centre we are planning is at Port Pirie, and $12.5 million has been provided for that project as well.

The start of the second and final stage of the Ceduna redevelopment follows the completion of stage 1 last month. All patients, staff and services at Ceduna District Health Service have moved to the newly completed building. I am told by the member for Mawson that they have had their first birth and their first operation in the new facilities last Tuesday night. So, congratulations to the parents involved in that birth, and I congratulate—

Mr Griffiths interjecting:

The Hon. J.D. HILL: No, I don't think the member for Mawson assisted. He probably assisted by keeping his distance. That would have been the best assistance he could have given. So, I do congratulate the hospital on that first achievement. The member said he was particularly impressed with the ocean and courtyard views from the new single ensuite patient rooms. I am looking forward to seeing them myself; I understand they have the most stunning views of any hospital in the state. People also commented to him that they could see the value of rebuilding the new Royal Adelaide Hospital on a greenfield site to establish single patient rooms and avoid disruption within the existing operational hospital because they have had that experience themselves.

I would like to thank the staff, members of the health advisory council and everyone involved in bringing this new project to fruition and ensuring the smooth transition of patients to the newly built hospital. Hospital chief executive Andrew Lane and regional director Michelle Smith have provided exemplary leadership, and I congratulate them. The staff and community of Ceduna can justifiably feel proud of their role in the creation of these new facilities, which include a brand-new emergency department, a new theatre suite, day procedure unit and residential aged care.

There are new indoor and outdoor areas, which reflect the cultural needs of local Aboriginal communities, and they include sandstone and bush themes, traditional cooking areas, and a grieving courtyard. The latest technology is also incorporated to allow for advanced telemedicine and communication with other sites. This is, of course, particularly important to our remote hospitals and assists with our goal of providing more health services in regional communities which are close to where people live. Using state-of-the-art technology, staff at Ceduna can perform tests, compare records with those held at other hospitals and provide specialists in Adelaide with up-to-date results. So, it is bringing the bush closer to the city.

We have been very keen to expand the capacity of the health system in regional South Australia, minimising the amount of travel country residents need to undertake to receive the medical care they need, and we are beginning to see the effects of that happening. There has been a steady increase in the number of patients being treated in our country hospitals over the past four years. Country hospitals recorded 90,940 inpatients in 2009-10, a growth of 4.4 per cent over the previous year. So, we are seeing stronger growth in patient services in the country compared to the city, which is part of our strategy. We want more country people to be seen in regional hospitals rather than have to come to the city. It helps people in the city and it also helps people in the country.

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. J.D. HILL: It is all right for the member to yell out and make abusive comments while I am speaking, but the facts are that more country people are being seen in country hospitals as a result of the policies of this government—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.D. HILL: —and we are meeting that growth with increased investment. This year $714.5 million is being provided to public health services in the country; that is a 13 per cent increase over last year and a massive 88 per cent increase in expenditure on country health since this government has been in office.

This investment is supporting more elective surgery in the country, more dialysis, more chemotherapy and more mental health care in regional South Australia. I am particularly pleased, as is the government, that dedicated mental health beds are now being placed into regional areas for the very first time. The first intermediate care places were recently established in Mount Gambier, with more to follow in other parts of the state. I can also report that work has started on an upgrade of Port Lincoln Hospital to establish a new reception area, waiting room and five purpose-built specialist consulting rooms.