Answers to Questions

Brain Injury and Spinal Injury Units

In reply to Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (13 October 2015).

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries): The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (TQEH) will develop a specialised role with expertise in subacute services of geriatrics, palliative care and rehabilitation. Provision of early rehabilitation in the acute setting optimises patient care, bed management and the patient journey through the provision of:

earlier specialist assessment;

triage and discharge planning;

earlier intervention to prevent complications and de-conditioning; and

allowing continued provision of rehabilitation in parallel with treatment of an acute illness while removing the need to transfer sites in order to receive rehabilitation.

Between December 2015 and June 2016 the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Central Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN) chaired a weekly forum with clinicians based at Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre (Hampstead) and The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (TQEH) about the reforms. She has also made several visits to specialty areas, convened some user groups, multidisciplinary workshops and open staff forums as well as met with some advocacy groups and other stakeholders.

A range of options are being considered to best meet the needs of patients and clinical teams. The needs of families are also being considered as part of this process. Construction work planned at TQEH at the start of 2016 remains on hold, while these processes continue.