House of Assembly: Wednesday, September 09, 2015

Contents

Central Adelaide Local Health Network

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:36): Does the situation with extensive delays in accessing inpatient mental health beds and also elective surgery in the Central Adelaide Local Health Network point to broader systemic problems within that local health network?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries) (14:37): No, I don't think it does. I'm not sure what the Leader of the Opposition is referring to when he says 'systemic problems'. Of course, Central Adelaide and the Royal Adelaide Hospital is our key quaternary hospital in this state and it is at the front end. The highest acuity cases go to the Royal Adelaide Hospital. It is our major trauma centre. In terms of complexity it has the highest rates of complexity in our state. So, when there are issues there it might just be a reflection of the complexity of the sorts of presentations that go to the Royal Adelaide Hospital. Perhaps if the Leader of the Opposition wants to elaborate on what he is referring to, or what he is hinting at, I would be more than happy to hear it.