Health and Hospital Care

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:29): My question is to the Minister for Health. Has the government investigated reports by SASMOA that junior doctors are working 140-hour fortnights and being left unsupervised? What is he doing to address this situation?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries) (14:29): I had a meeting last week with Dr David Pope and Bernadette Mulholland from SASMOA and undertook to properly investigate all of the claims or the allegations they were making. I was particularly concerned about any claims that patient safety has in any way been compromised. They also, of course, claimed that staff are being asked to work excessive hours, and we are in the process of investigating those claims.

Mr MARSHALL: Supplementary, sir.

The SPEAKER: Supplementary.