Palliative Care

Mr BELL (Mount Gambier) (15:37): I rise today to talk about the savage palliative care cuts that this government has installed on the people of the South-East—$419,000 every year going forward as of 1 July this year. I want to bring to the attention of this house that these types of cuts are going to have a severe impact on our ability to provide adequate care down in the South-East; and lo and behold many people up in the golden place of Adelaide would not have a bloody clue what is going on down in the South-East. I do not know whether or not that is parliamentary.

I also want to commend the ambassadors for palliative care, Pauline Kenny, Maxine Maney, Maree Thompson, Mary Arthurson and a person I will only identify as MB, for the outstanding work they have done to bring this to the community's attention and to raise awareness. Very shortly I will be placing on record a petition of 8,000 signatures from the South-East area demanding that this government reverse its cruel cuts to palliative care in the South-East.

I am just going to talk about how we are actually underfunded now, according to Palliative Care Australia and its recommendations in terms of staffing levels. We are under the full-time equivalent for the weighted population of the South-East, and one of these positions relates to a gentleman called Mr John Deer who has previously provided bereavement counselling to carers and families, and who has supported men in particular. Unfortunately, this is one of the roles that has been cut, and it is an absolute disgrace. The minister has written to me saying that these services will be picked up by other clinicians and other people within the services, but being a male and knowing the lack of services specific for males, I believe that is one cut that needs to be reinstated immediately.

I am also very disappointed, if my correspondence is correct, that the minister has failed to respond to letters written to him by our two councils, that is, the District Council of Grant and the City of Mount Gambier. In their letter they ask for clarification on a number of points, one of them being the number of staff cut and the number of staff to remain; the number of staff to be redeployed and to which areas of the hospital; the number and nature of staff contracts that will not be renewed from 1 July 2015; the average number of palliative clients managed per year across the Limestone Coast; the impact of reduced palliative care services on the community in relation to health outcomes and service delivery; an outline of the new palliative care modelling, including its reach across the region; and the expected effectiveness and efficiency of meeting the healthcare needs of palliative care clients.

I lay down a challenge to the minister that we will be having a public forum on 7 October at 5.30. He will receive an invite to that forum in Mount Gambier, and his attendance would be greatly appreciated; in fact, I am standing here demanding his attendance at that meeting, public forum, to explain to the people of the South-East what these cuts mean to our region. A $419,000 cut from our palliative care services is an absolute disgrace. Also attending that forum will be Australia's leading palliative care advocate, Dr Yvonne McMaster OAM, who will be explaining the cost of palliative care to the community when you make these savage cuts. This is on top of an announcement just a week ago of a $7 million palliative care unit at Flinders Medical Centre for 15 beds.

Quite rightly, people in my electorate say, 'Well, you're robbing from us and again propping up Adelaide with more palliative care services.' It has been an absolute tragedy. Take from one hand, take from the country area and prop up Adelaide and Adelaide beds. On 7 October at 5.30 at the Sir Robert Helpmann Theatre, I am asking that the Minister for Health be in attendance.

Time expired.