Wallaroo Hospital

Mr GRIFFITHS (Goyder) (15:05): My question is to the Minister for Health also. Can the minister detail why the regional cancer centre at the Wallaroo Hospital requires patients to initially use the oncologist at the Lyell McEwin Hospital, thus restricting people from using their oncologist of choice?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries) (15:05): I will check, but normally what happens in the public health system is you don't get to use the doctor of your choice. That's the difference between public health provision and private health provision. If you are a public patient, then you use the oncologist who is provided for you; you don't get to choose. That's why people take out private health cover, because they're prepared to pay extra in order to get the doctor of their choice. So, unless they're private patients that would be the reason.