WOMEN'S AND CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL

Mrs VLAHOS (Taylor) (14:24): My question is to the Minister for Health. Can the minister inform the house about the improved neurological services at the Women's and Children's Hospital?

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) (14:24): I thank the member for Taylor for the question; she has been a strong advocate for children with epilepsy. The neurology department at the Women's and Children's Hospital is South Australia's leading diagnostic and treatment service to children and young people with neurological disorders.

Having received representation from the 'Epilepsy: Let's Talk About It!' parents group, I am pleased to inform the house that neurology services at the Women's and Children's Hospital will soon be expanded to include inpatient video-EEG monitoring. This sophisticated testing enables better diagnosis of neurological conditions such as epilepsy. Before now, children needing specialist comprehensive testing for epilepsy have had to travel to Melbourne, resulting in inconvenience and additional expenses for the families.

Video-EEG monitoring can help in differentiating between seizures and other episodic disorders. Having a more accurate diagnosis reduces the potential for unnecessary drug therapy that significantly impacts children and families. In many cases, such drug regimens can affect childhood learning.

The state government's investment in this service will directly benefit approximately 50 children each year. To provide video-EEG monitoring, the Women's and Children's Neurology department will employ an additional specialist clinical nurse and a neurophysiology trainee at a total cost of $150,000 a year. The service will begin once the recruitment of these new positions is finalised.