Health Review

Ms BEDFORD (Florey) (14:16): My question is to the Minister for Health. What do the service realignments between the Modbury and Lyell McEwin hospitals mean for patients of these hospitals?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries) (14:16): I thank the member for Florey for her question and her continued advocacy for her constituents about Modbury Hospital. It was only three weeks ago—also in response to a question from the member for Florey—that I advised this house about a number of early improvements we have seen for patients in the north and north-eastern suburbs as a result of service realignments between the Modbury and Lyell McEwin hospitals under Transforming Health. For the Lyell McEwin Hospital, these include significant improvements to wait times for orthopaedic surgery and continued improvement on the National Emergency Access Target.

I am extremely pleased to have received more advice today on a number of further substantial improvements that have occurred since the service realignments have been implemented. As well as notable improvements to wait times for hip fracture surgery—from up to 150 hours wait last year to an average wait of less than 15 hours—I can advise that there have been 75 per cent more patients in the north receiving orthopaedic surgery closer to home compared to the same time last year.

I can also advise that, through the changes we have implemented, Modbury Hospital is now well and truly established as the elective surgery centre for the north and north-east, specialising in same-day and 23-hour elective surgery admissions. As predicted, since the first of the realignments in March 2016 we have seen an increase in day surgery admissions at Modbury. In fact, since the changes to the provision of surgery across both sites, I am very happy to advise that there has been around a 50 per cent increase in the number of same-day and 23-hour surgical patients seen at Modbury Hospital.

We have also said that having separate dedicated centres for elective surgery will mean fewer postponements, better throughput and, importantly, better outcomes for patients. We know this because this model is tried and tested interstate. Despite this, we have had some in the community constantly talking down the Modbury Hospital, with some even telling the community it is closing down. On the contrary, this early data shows dramatically increased elective surgery throughput there.

We have also seen a 30 per cent increase in the number of patients being admitted from emergency to a medical bed within the four-hour National Emergency Access Target. In fact, the new data I have seen today shows that both Modbury Hospital and the Lyell McEwin Hospital continue to improve on the four-hour target and, on average, are the highest performing hospitals in South Australia, with an average performance of 64 per cent for Modbury and 61 per cent for the Lyell McEwin.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: I know the opposition hate good news, don't they? You read them like a book: they hate good news. They are like Superman and kryptonite, they are to good news, or the devil to holy water: they just don't like good news. This data shows that the Transforming Health mental health initiatives at the Modbury and Lyell McEwin hospitals continue to see improvements for our patients, with no mental health patient in these hospitals waiting for over 24 hours in an emergency department for an admission.

As I previously said, the dedicated ambulance service located at Modbury Hospital continues to transport patients to the Lyell McEwin Hospital well within the predicted volume ranges. Further, I am told the majority of patients are being transferred from Modbury directly to an inpatient bed at the Lyell McEwin Hospital, therefore not impacting the emergency department presentations.

Through clinical improvement initiatives at these hospitals under Transforming Health, we have also seen a 24 per cent reduction in length of stay for patients with chronic obstruction pulmonary disease in 2015-16 when compared. Mr Speaker, I could go on and on; unfortunately, my time has run out, but I do know the opposition hate good news.

Members interjecting:

Ms BEDFORD: Supplementary, Mr Speaker.

The SPEAKER: Before we get to the supplementary, I call to order the members for Davenport, Chaffey, Schubert, Kavel, Florey, Newland, Morialta, Finniss, Morphett, Hammond, and the deputy leader. I warn for the first time the members for Schubert, Davenport, Morialta, Chaffey, Kavel, Hartley, the leader and the deputy leader. I warn for the second and final time the leader and the members for Schubert and Morialta. The leader.