House of Assembly Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1) 52 1 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Answers to Questions Hospital Support Discharge Care Packages HOSPITAL SUPPORT DISCHARGE CARE PACKAGES Dr McFETRIDGE House of Assembly Morphett HOSPITAL SUPPORT DISCHARGE CARE PACKAGES 71 Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (1 June 2010). How many hospital support discharge care packages were provided for each of South Australia's major metropolitan public hospitals in 2007, 2008 and 2009, respectively? The Hon. J.D. HILL House of Assembly Kaurna Minister for Health Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Minister for the Southern Suburbs Minister Assisting the Premier in the Arts HOSPITAL SUPPORT DISCHARGE CARE PACKAGES 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: Transition Care Packages provide short-term care that seek to optimise the functioning and independence of older people after a hospital stay. The total number of Transition Care Packages delivered across metropolitan hospitals for the following periods are: 2006-07	693 2007-08	901 2008-09	891 Country Home Link (CHL) aims to avoid preventable visits or admission to metropolitan hospitals of people from country South Australia, or to assist people from country South Australia to leave metropolitan hospitals earlier, in a safe and supportive environment, than would otherwise have been possible. CHL Home Supported Discharge packages 2007-08	76 (commenced May 2008) 2008-09	1,108 The Metro Home Link (MHL) service provides short term support and assistance for people in their own home or residential care facility, to assist patients to leave hospital earlier in a safe and supportive environment than would otherwise have been possible or to avoid preventable visits or admission to hospital.