Wallaroo Hospital

In reply to Mr GRIFFITHS (Goyder) (23 September 2015).

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries): All patients undertaking low risk chemotherapy are welcome to have their treatment in the Wallaroo Hospital's chemotherapy unit, under the care of their public oncologist or haematologist.

All country chemotherapy units are linked with a specified metropolitan cancer centre for the purposes of supporting ongoing education, continuity of patient care and for pharmacy distribution processes. While Wallaroo Hospital is linked to the Lyell McEwin Hospital for these purposes, patients under the care of oncologists located at the Royal Adelaide Hospital and The Queen Elizabeth Hospital have also been treated recently in Wallaroo.

People with private health cover can use the Wallaroo Hospital chemotherapy unit or any other Country Health SA Local Health Network chemotherapy unit, for supportive services including PICC/PORT (central venous catheter) access, flushing and disconnections of chemotherapy pumps. Patients from St Andrews Hospital and Calvary Hospital have recently accessed these services in the Wallaroo Hospital chemotherapy unit.

Country Health SA Local Health Network is currently working to develop safe pathways and processes to enable private patients the opportunity to receive treatment under the supervision of their private oncologist or haematologist in country chemotherapy units.

The hours of service and staffing levels that the Wallaroo Hospital chemotherapy unit operates are based on patient demand. In the first six months of 2015, the unit averaged four treatments per week. In addition to its operating hours for scheduled chemotherapy, the unit is used regularly on an as needs basis for video-conferencing and other support activities such as PICC disconnections, and trained staff are made available to assist or undertake these services.