EMERGENCY MEDICAL RETRIEVAL SERVICE

58 Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (1 June 2010).

1. How much expenditure is provided to operate the statewide Emergency Medical Retrieval Service?

2. How many patients utilise this service on an average daily, weekly, monthly and annual basis, respectively?

3. What is the cost per patient of utilising this 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): I am advised:

1. The consolidated draft budget for 2010-11 provided by the Department of Health for the operation of MedSTAR is $9,328,910 of which $1,520,000 relates to the helicopter service.

2. 1,647 cases were referred to MedSTAR in the first 6 months of 2010, which is an average of 9 per day, 63 per week, 274.5 per month and 3 294 per year.

Not all of these cases result in patients being retrieved (537 requests). However, every case requires the input of MedSTAR retrieval coordination staff, for periods of up to an hour or more. 1,110 retrieval missions were undertaken in the first 6 months of 2010.

3. The average cost per patient is $3,506.37 based on 2009-10 actuals and activity quoted above.