HEALTH DEPARTMENT

19 Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (1 June 2010). How many health staff are employed within the South Australian Healthcare System and the South Australian Department of Health, respectively, and in each case, how many full time equivalent health staff are classified as administrative or other?

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. At June 2009 there were 36,659 employees (28,888 FTE) engaged in SA Health. Of which:

At June 2009 there were 5,078 FTE in the administrative and clerical stream of the SA public health system.

In addition to undertaking administrative and clerical functions, employees included under Administrative and Clerical staff also provide specialist functions in support of key health programs that contribute to an agency's service delivery objectives. This includes:

the coordination and management of many community and primary health projects and programs (including Health and Welfare Research and Project/Policy Officers (Mental Health, Early Intervention and Aboriginal Health), as well as vast majority of Community and Aboriginal Health Workers)

the operation and maintenance of office systems

the provision of advice or services to customers

exercising of delegations

enforcement and prosecution

policy development and implementation

detection and investigation of breaches of legislation

the development of financial systems

the collection of Government revenue and/or payment of Government monies and related management functions.