Modbury Hospital

Ms BEDFORD (Florey) (14:34): My question is to the Minister for Health. What are the plans and timelines for Modbury Hospital services under the Transforming Health proposals?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries) (14:35): I thank the member for Florey for her question. The Modbury Hospital and its excellent clinical teams have been an important part of our public hospital system for many years. The government showed its commitment to the Modbury Hospital when it returned it to public hands in 2007 following its privatisation by the former Liberal government.

Since 2002, we have invested $30 million in Modbury to ensure that our doctors, nurses and allied health professionals can best meet the needs of the local community. The important reforms proposed by Transforming Health seem to have sparked some almost hysterical and ill-informed comments about the future of Modbury from members opposite. Even this morning—

The SPEAKER: I caution the Minister for Health about attributing hysteria to the opposition.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: Certainly, sir. Even this morning a federal Liberal Party colleague added to this malicious scaremongering. I would like to take—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: It was the member for Sturt, Christopher Pyne, in an interview that did not go particularly well for him, if I recall. I would like to take the opportunity to restate that Modbury Hospital is here to stay. We are not closing Modbury Hospital; in fact, Transforming Health—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: They don't like to hear it. They try to shut me down—

Ms BEDFORD: Point of order, Mr Speaker.

The SPEAKER: Point of order.

Ms BEDFORD: I cannot hear the answer, and if no-one else has an interest in Modbury Hospital, I do.

The SPEAKER: When I have ceased consulting the Opposition Whip, there will be a number of opposition members shown the yellow card. The minister—who will stop taunting Her Majesty's opposition.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: In fact, Transforming Health proposes to invest $32 million to upgrade its facilities. The Modbury Hospital will continue to provide emergency care for the local community, with the emergency department open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. People with urgent, life-threatening conditions will be taken directly by ambulance to either the new major emergency departments at the Lyell McEwin Hospital or the Royal Adelaide Hospital instead of Modbury Hospital. This, however, is expected to only involve around half of 1 per cent of the presentations that currently go to Modbury Hospital. This will mean that people with a life-threatening condition will receive 24/7 specialist care and allow Modbury to focus on reducing wait times for less complex, non life-threatening presentations.

It is proposed that a new dedicated eye centre will make the Modbury Hospital a statewide centre for eye care, offering elective procedures, including cataract removal. The new specialty centre will provide a statewide service that will share expert knowledge and develop consistent quality standards of care in eye treatment across all of our hospitals.

In 2016 we want to start work on further expanding Modbury Hospital's role as the rehabilitation and subacute services centre for the north. This will include expanding the existing rehabilitation ward by 22 beds and building a new rehabilitation gym and pool by 2017. Modbury Hospital will retain its current mental health services.

I want to emphasise that it is the systems that need to change to better support the excellent work that is done every day by the people providing our health care. If any of the proposals do not contribute to meeting the quality standards developed by our clinicians, they will not be adopted. Staff will be fully involved in the planning for these service moves and they can have their say about the proposals by providing feedback on the Transforming Health website.

The SPEAKER: Arising out of that answer, I call the member for Schubert to order. He has suffered for the sins of the whole opposition on that matter, and the deputy leader is warned a second and therefore final time. The member for Morphett.