Country Health SA

Mr HUGHES (Giles) (14:47): My question is to the Minister for Health. Minister, what investments has the government made to Country Health in recent years?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries) (14:47): Thank you to the member for Giles. What an advocate for the regions the member for Giles is, Mr Speaker. The 2014—

An honourable member: Point to two others that you've got.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: A much better advocate than anyone on the other side of the house, I have to say—

The SPEAKER: I call the Minister for Health to order.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: I'm sorry, Mr Speaker. The 2014-15 budget committed $778.9 million in 2014-15 to public health services in the country. This is a significant increase on the previous budget figure of $766.2 million. A large number of major capital projects have been completed in the Country Health Local Health Network. These include a $12½ million investment in the Port Pirie GP Plus Health Centre and a $3½ million upgrade of the Mount Barker maternity unit.

Chemotherapy services expanded across the state, and it has been a great pleasure, as a new health minister, to have the opportunity of travelling around this beautiful state, opening chemotherapy units right across the breadth of the country, to make sure that regional South Australians who are afflicted with cancer and other conditions that require chemotherapy are able to have chemotherapy delivered closer to home.

We have established more renal services across the state, including a project underway at Gawler to expand services at the site, and the renal truck, which travels to remote communities on the APY lands and other country areas. We are now operating six-bed acute mental health inpatient units at Whyalla and the Riverland, and soon the Mount Gambier mental health inpatient unit will be officially opened.

Mr Marshall: What about Mallala?

The SPEAKER: Mallala—if the opposition policy is to take over private hospitals and run them on their behalf, I am sure your Treasury spokesman would be interested to hear that that is now Liberal Party policy.

To further help country patients, last year I announced a $2½ million funding boost to the Patient Assistance Transport Scheme, which will benefit over 16,000 South Australians living in regional areas. Once again, the member for Giles was advocating strongly on behalf of constituents over that particular issue.

Mr Marshall: He wasn't in the parliament!

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: It is an exciting time for Country Health, as we embrace new technologies. He was still, as a candidate, advocating on behalf of his constituents. Our investment in digital telehealth is revolutionising the way we provide health care to people located across our state, from Ceduna through to Mount Gambier. There are currently 160 videoconferencing units in 80 locations across Country Health SA. Four hundred patients a month receive expert health advice from Adelaide-based specialists via videoconferencing without having to leave their community.

I am proud that our Country Health hospitals continue to punch above their weight. In 2014, all of our seven major country hospitals that are measured against these criteria exceeded the national benchmark of 82 per cent. I am committed to providing the best health care for all South Australians, whether they live in metropolitan or regional South Australia.