COUNTRY HOSPITALS

Mr BIGNELL (Mawson) (14:40): My question is to the Minister for Health. How is the state government building up services for country patients at the four country general hospitals in Berri, Port Lincoln, Mount Gambier and Whyalla?

Mr Williams: What about Keith? Tell us about Keith.

The SPEAKER: Order!

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) (14:40): That is a good question. I am happy to answer this question. I thank the member for Mawson, who is also my parliamentary secretary on health matters, for his great—

Mr Pengilly interjecting:

The Hon. J.D. HILL: Where do you live during the week, Michael?

Mr Pengilly: In Adelaide when I am here, John.

The Hon. J.D. HILL: Good. Don't reflect on other members then.

The SPEAKER: Order! There will be no interjections across the floor.

The Hon. J.D. HILL: Don't reflect on other members, member for Finniss. As a government we have been very determined and committed to expanding medical care in country South Australia. In particular, we want to minimise the amount of travel that country residents need to undertake to receive the health care that they need. We are closely measuring the amount of—

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.D. HILL: We are closely measuring the amount of activity in South Australia's regional public hospitals. Indeed, the number of inpatient separations—that, of course, refers to the number of people—

Mr Williams interjecting:

The Hon. J.D. HILL: Ask me a question any time, member for MacKillop. Ask me a question.

Mr Williams: You don't answer them.

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.D. HILL: The interjections are flying freely across the aisle, Madam Speaker; I just draw that to your attention. The number of inpatient separations—which refers to the number of people passing through a hospital—has been steadily increasing over the past four years. At the same time, the growth in separations in our city hospitals, while it is still going up, is not going up at the same rate. Country hospitals, for example, recorded, in the 2009 year, 90,940 inpatient separations, and that is a 4.4 per cent increase over the previous year. In the city in that period of time, we saw only a 1.9 per cent growth rate in separations. So, in other words, we have been able to put more activity in country hospitals so fewer country people have had to come to the city.

What this shows is that enhancing and expanding services at country hospitals, and at the four country general hospitals in particular, is resulting in more specialist treatment closer to home for country people. Another benefit from this approach is that we are increasing teaching, training and education opportunities for health professionals, making these hospitals more attractive places to work.

Our goal is to ensure that only patients requiring specialised and complex care will need to travel to metropolitan Adelaide to access services. This commitment to build up services at the four country general hospitals has required a significant investment in modern medical facilities. So, I am really pleased to report that the Riverland general hospital project at Berri is underway and is scheduled for completion in November 2013. I was pleased to brief the local member and the shadow minister yesterday on this. A managing contractor has been appointed to the $41 million project, and one of the first requirements will be to work with ETSA to upgrade and move the transformer onto the site.

Residents in the Riverland will benefit from an expanded and refurbished emergency department, two theatres and more treatment, like chemotherapy, renal dialysis, acute mental health care and rehabilitation. In real terms, that is 300 people who will not have to travel to Adelaide each year for surgery, as well as another 40 who will be able to stay in their home town for rehabilitation.

I am very pleased that this government was successfully able to bid for commonwealth funding to redevelop the Port Lincoln and Mount Gambier hospitals through the national Health and Hospital Fund Regional Priority Round. These projects were assessed by an independent advisory board and, as members would know, announced just before last week's federal budget. That means now that all four of our general country hospitals are undergoing major redevelopment.

The $39 million commonwealth investment at Port Lincoln hospital will create a public dental clinic, a redeveloped operating theatre and same-day patient unit, and new facilities for expanded acute care services. There was a carefully considered staffing plan attached to the submission and this investment has been welcomed by everybody, I understand, other than the local member, who could not help but play politics with it.

At Mount Gambier, $30 million will be spent to redevelop the hospital and build an ambulance station. An expanded facility there will allow more room to offer acute care services, including cancer and intermediate care beds, mental health services, palliative care, general medicine and rehabilitation services.

Last week I visited Mount Gambier and met with the local member, the local HAC, and clinicians who told me the limited physical capacity posed major challenges to staff. A number of the doctors said they were ecstatic with the new investment, and patients and staff there will have a fantastic modern facility backed by a plan with additional services.

A year ago the federal government announced $54.3 million for the redevelopment of a regional cancer centre in Whyalla, in addition to funding of $15 million from this government—that takes it to $65 million. The regional cancer centre will be located within the Whyalla Country General Hospital. It will provide services which extend to over 110,000 people over 600,000 square kilometres. Other expanded services at Whyalla include mental health, rehabilitation and orthopaedics, which will be a great advantage for residents in Coober Pedy, Roxby Downs, the Flinders Ranges and the Far North.

We are very proud of our increasing investment in regional public health services. I would like to thank the federal government for backing our plans and backing our vision. The 2010-11 state budget committed $714.5 million to public health services in the country; that is $84.1 million or 13 per cent more than the previous year.

I note an additional $13 million will be invested in four other projects for regional South Australia through the national Health and Hospitals Fund and, once again, I thank the commonwealth government for that. These projects include improved oral and dental health care at Wallaroo and the Riverland, new primary health care at the APY lands, and a new medical clinic for Naracoorte.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! There is far too much background noise.