Modbury Hospital

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:27): Yes, thank you very much, sir. I would like to ask a question to the Minister for Health. Can the minister advise when the ambulance shuttle will start transferring patients from the Modbury Hospital to the Lyell McEwin Hospital?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries) (14:27): I am very happy to take this question, because I know that one of the great complaints about the proposals in Transforming Health was the concern some clinicians had over the time it took sometimes to transfer patients if they had to wait for an ambulance and the significant delay on occasion in waiting for people to be transferred. So what is being investigated is to have a dedicated ambulance that will be able to transfer patients between the Modbury and Lyell McEwin hospitals, and backwards and forwards.

I will double-check. I don't think that it has gone beyond the investigation phase but, contrary to reports that such a service would cost $15 million, my advice is that, running seven days a week, 24 hours a day—it is unlikely that it would have to run 24 hours a day—it would cost $1.5 million, about 10 per cent of the $15 million that was originally indicated. But I am certainly of the belief that such a service—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: Obviously those opposite just do not like having better services for those people who live north of Gepps Cross.

Mr GARDNER: Point of order.

The SPEAKER: Point of order; the minister will be seated.

Mr GARDNER: It was a very straightforward question: when is it going to start? The minister is debating the answer. Either he doesn't know the answer or he is not trying to.

The SPEAKER: The minister is indeed debating the answer and the minister will stop debating the answer.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: I was having a lovely deluge opposite, Mr Speaker, but, nonetheless, I am always happy to follow your advice. This would be a very important service. It would assist us in moving patients backwards and forwards and, given that there were concerns expressed about the delays associated with moving patients between hospitals—

Mr Gardner: The longer you talk the more obvious it is that you don't know the answer.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: Mr Speaker, at least let me off the leash to attack the indolence of those opposite.

The SPEAKER: I will deal with those opposite at the end of the minister's answer, and the minister will supply information to the house.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: Okay; and very happily. Given that there were clinicians who had expressed concerns about delays associated with moving patients between Modbury and the Lyell McEwin Hospital, this is a project that I think is well worth good investigation and formulating a very good business case around, because I think it would address those concerns that have been expressed by clinicians.

The SPEAKER: The member for Newland is called to order and warned; the member for Morialta is warned for the first and second time; the member for Davenport is called to order and warned; the member for Hartley is warned for the second and final time; and the members for Mitchell, Goyder and Morphett are called to order.