House of Assembly Fifty-Third Parliament, First Session (53-1) 53 1 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Hospital Beds Hospital Beds Mr MARSHALL House of Assembly Dunstan Leader of the Opposition Hospital Beds Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:25): A supplementary: is the minister happy to come back to the house with an answer to the question which was about how many hospital beds—the split between general and mental health—both now and 12 months ago? The Hon. J.J. SNELLING House of Assembly Playford Minister for Health Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Minister for the Arts Minister for Health Industries Hospital Beds The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries) (14:26): I am happy to do that; however, I point out that the number of hospital beds we have is not a constant that never changes. We have capacity in our hospitals to flex up and down, so just picking a particular point of time does not necessarily provide, I think, the information that you are after because at any particular point in time the numbers will vary because— Members interjecting: The Hon. J.J. SNELLING House of Assembly The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: Well, I am happy to do it. I am just trying to explain to you. You don't need to get upset, Steven. I know you are not having a good week, but I am trying to be helpful here. I am just pointing out that the number of hospital beds we have is a fluid thing. Hospital beds flex up and down according to demand. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: The Minister for Health is called to order for persistently not addressing the Chair.