HEALTH DEPARTMENT

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health and Ageing, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for Defence Industries, Minister for Veterans' Affairs) (14:07): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: I have asked two of South Australia's leading public servants to join a team to drive reform in the state's health system as part of an overhaul of the Department for Health and Ageing. I have invited the—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: I have invited the chief executive of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, Jim Hallion, and Under Treasurer, Brett Rowse, to help establish the Health Reform Advisory Committee, and at the same time changes made to the executive structure and further streamlining of bureaucracy in the department will save about $1.3 million every year. Mr Hallion and Mr Rowse will be joined in the HRAC by the current chief executive of the Department for Health and Ageing, David Swan, and former Queensland and New South Wales health director, General Professor Mick Reid.

South Australia has the best health system in the country, and I want to keep it that way. The recent Report on Government Services showed that we were well above the national average in elective surgery, emergency departments, and the number of available beds. We also led every state with the number of employed nurses and medical practitioners per head of population. While this is undoubtedly good news, in recent years the activity in the health system has grown by around 2 per cent every year, but the amount we spend on health has grown by around 8 per cent. This is not sustainable.

Professor Reid has a long and successful leadership history in Australian health care, having spent more than 30 years working in the health and human services industry. His skill set will be valuable combined with the public sector knowledge of Mr Hallion and Mr Rowse and the health knowledge of Mr Swan.

The HRAC will drive reform in the state's health system and make sure it is operating as efficiently as possible. It will operate for at least 12 months. A new executive structure for the Department for Health and Ageing will also come into effect immediately.

The new arrangements are designed to streamline the executive reporting structure to ensure we provide safe, high quality and affordable health care now and into the future. As part of the restructure, Steve Archer and Jenny Richter have been appointed to the redefined roles of deputy chief executive. As Deputy Chief Executive of System Performance, Jenny Richter will retain responsibility for the health system performance functions with the added responsibility for Mental Health and Substance Abuse as part of the broader system performance directorate. As Deputy Chief Executive of Finance and Business Services, Steve Archer will be responsible for the functions of Finance and Office for Business Review, and Implementation and Procurement and Supply Chain Management.

The Ageing Division will be integrated in to Health System Development for the new Policy and Commissioning Division. Executive Director of Ageing, Mr Greg Mackie OAM will spend his last day in that position tomorrow. I would like to thank Mr Mackie for his hard work and dedication in leading the Office for the Ageing during its transition into SA Health. Mr Mackie has served the South Australian public in several different roles with great distinction and I am confident that he will continue to do so. The services provided to the aged, such as Seniors Cards, including the successful transition to Metrocards, Community Benefits SA and Positive Ageing grants as well as Aged Care Assessment will continue.