HOSPITAL EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS

63 Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (1 June 2010). What additional anaesthetist and emergency department resources have been provided to assist with demand pressures?

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:

SA Health remains committed to supporting South Australian public hospitals with demand pressures. Commencing in 2008-09 was the staging of the appointments of 20 additional emergency department physicians and 25 additional anaesthetists, which will be completed by 2010-11. These additional clinical positions will strengthen workforce capacity and ensure a workforce that supports timely and appropriate patient care to support emergency services.

In addition to this, further emergency department resources have been provided through the Taking the Pressure off Public Hospitals, through the Council of Australia Governments' (COAG) Emergency Department initiatives.

These new initiatives include the development of:

Acute Medical Units at Flinders Medical Centre and the Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH).

Nurse Practitioner roles to support the treatment of non-urgent Australasian Triage Scale 4 and 5 patients in 'See and Treat' Clinics, which have been implemented at the RAH, Lyell McEwin Hospital, Noarlunga Health Service and the Women's and Children's Hospital.

The Government has also committed to the Every Hospital—Every Service, Hospital Services Policy 2010, which includes a number of strategies to complement the COAG National Partnership initiatives.

A key strategy of Every Hospital—Every Service is to further enhance the patient pathway through the whole health system, through enhanced provision of services.