Caesarean Section Standards

Mr WILLIAMS (MacKillop) (14:58): My question is also for the Minister for Health. Can the minister confirm that he supports the directive from SA Health that mandates standards which, and I quote:

Have been developed in accordance with contemporary professional quality and safety standards and establish the minimum standards for the provision of health services for management of category 1 caesarean section in hospitals in South Australia.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries) (14:58): I presume that where the member for MacKillop is going with this is with regard to the negotiations between Country Health SA and Naracoorte doctors, and there is an issue there with regard to a fourth roster for maternity, or for birthing, at Naracoorte.

The Naracoorte doctors have a position that they should have a fourth roster, and my very strong advice from my department is that that is not something that is required under the standards, and is, in fact, not something that exists anywhere else in any of our Country Health sites bar one. There is only one Country Health site in this state which has this fourth roster, which the Naracoorte doctors are asking for.

I also point out that under the current provisions of the four weeks, in every four weeks, in one of those four weeks, under the current arrangements, women have to travel from Naracoorte to Mount Gambier because under the contract the Naracoorte doctors don't provide birthing coverage—one in every four weeks. So, women currently have to go from Naracoorte down to Mount Gambier.

Yes, of course, we support the standards, but if the member for MacKillop is trying to suggest that whatever the standard is he is quoting has some connection with this issue, I would be very, very surprised if he was correct.