CENTRAL AUSTRALIA RENAL STUDY

485 Mr MARSHALL (Norwood—Leader of the Opposition) (4 December 2012).

1. How many times has the South Australian government met with representatives of the Commonwealth, Northern Territory and Western Australia governments to consider the recommendations and key findings of the Central Australia Renal Study?

2. When were those meetings held, who represented the South Australian government at those meetings and what were the key outcomes of those meetings?

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): I understand:

1. The South Australian government has met twice with representatives of the Commonwealth, Northern Territory and Western Australia Governments to consider the recommendations and findings of the Central Australia Renal Study.

2. The ministers from each jurisdiction held a teleconference on 14 June, 2012, to discuss progress made in the carrying out of the recommendations. Results of the study to date have included Alice Springs becoming the hub for dialysis services in central Australia. This has been carried with several Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) lands residents receiving haemodialysis in Alice Springs.

Another recommendation was bringing in a respite mobile haemodialysis service provided to the APY lands, which began in October, 2011. Eight visits have occurred since this time, using the Northern Territory Renal Dialysis Truck, allowing haemodialysis patients from the APY lands to attend respite dialysis closer to their home communities. Further visits are planned in 2013, including the establishment of South Australia's own mobile dialysis unit, allowing an increase in visits to remote Aboriginal communities across South Australia from mid 2013.

A working group meeting held in October, 2012, included Departmental representatives from the jurisdictions to carry out actions agreed between ministers. South Australia was represented by Ms Sinéad O'Brien, Executive Director Health System Development, SA Health, and Dr Peter Chapman, Chief Medical Advisor, Country Health SA Local Health Network.