Bills

Health Care (Miscellaneous) Amendment Bill

Second Reading

Debate resumed.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries) (11:12): I thank the opposition for their support. I am more than happy to look at the issues that have been raised by the member for Morphett, and we can deal with those between houses.

Bill read a second time.

Committee Stage

In committee.

Clauses 1 to 7 passed.

Clause 8.

Ms CHAPMAN: For the reasons that have been set out in the debate, there is to be a removal of the bed cap, and I understand that. What I would like to know is: what is the definition of a bed? I appreciate that, essentially, when we talk about beds for the purpose of calculating staff and the like that it has a broader meaning than the physical instrument by which someone might sit or lie, but for the purposes of defining 'bed' can you tell me what that is?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: It is defined in the act. I am quoting from the act, which states:

hospital bed means the bed and associated facilities provided by a hospital for the provision of health services to a patient on a live-in basis;

I presume from that it would exclude a day procedure bed.

Ms CHAPMAN: If it does exclude a day procedure bed, which is, in essence, what I understand this bill is to accommodate for all the reasons that have been explained, why is it necessary to remove the cap? We are not dealing with in-house or whatever the description is.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: Simply because it is redundant. We do not need to regulate the total number of hospital beds that we have in South Australia. If the private sector, an NGO or a not-for-profit organisation wants to establish a private hospital, all I am concerned about is that it meets the various standards and expectations of care. I do not see it as my business or the business of government to be interfering in the market for hospital beds by setting a cap as to how many there can be across the state. At the end of the day, it will be the market that will determine what is the optimum number of private hospital beds. I do not think there is a need for government to be involved in that.

Ms CHAPMAN: For the purposes of licensing, is there going to be any requirement of the clinics to provide a facility other than a waiting room chair? I am moving on to the physical now as distinct from the definition for the purposes of staff allocation, etc. Under the granting of a licence for the clinics, is there going to be a condition for the physical provision of an amenity which is somewhere to sit or lie other than a waiting room chair?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: I think the member for Bragg might be confusing two issues. There are a number of components to this bill: one is to remove the cap on bed numbers; the second is to extend the legislation to day procedure centres, and Sportsmed is a good example. At the moment, while those day procedure centres are subject to the various national accreditations, we do not license them at a state level.

What we are trying to do with this legislation is extend that licensing to encompass these private day procedure centres as well. That licensing would be done on the basis of meeting the various requirements. If I understand the question correctly, you seem to be asking: if you are having a day procedure at a place that has been licensed under the act, would you have, as part of that day procedure centre, some sort of overnight bed as defined in the act? I think that is what the deputy seems to be asking.

Ms CHAPMAN: I think you are saying that the clinics, from a requirement or a conditional purpose, are regulated at the commonwealth level for them to operate. It may be that there is a provision that if they are providing a health service, including surgical intervention, as a day procedure there are certain things they have to do. They have to have qualified people present, they have to have some sort of resuscitation equipment—whatever the conditions are—and they may all be commonwealth requirements.

As I understand it, what you are saying is, 'Look, we do not get into that sphere,' and that is all nationally approved and accredited. So, if there is no state provision, can you tell the house, or obtain this information between houses, what obligations there are for the clinics to make provisions for the physical amenity of a bed?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: The purpose of this act is to bring those day procedures under our purview. At the moment, they are not, so the purpose of this act is to give the government the power to license these facilities. At the moment, while they are regulated in the commonwealth, we do not have any state legislation, the same way that we would for a private hospital with overnight. The basis upon which their standards are set is the Australasian Health Facility Guidelines. They would be the standards that we would gazette, and it would be on that basis that we would license these facilities under the act.

Ms CHAPMAN: Just to be clear, whatever the commonwealth or Australian guidelines standards are is what your government proposes to promulgate for the purposes of these standards to be imposed for these clinics to get a licence under your watch?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: Yes; that is correct.

Clause passed.

Remaining clauses (9 to 12) and title passed.

Bill reported without amendment.

Third Reading

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries) (11:21): I move:

That this bill be now read a third time.

Bill read a third time and passed.