Mount Barker District Soldiers Memorial Hospital

Mr GOLDSWORTHY (Kavel) (15:02): A supplementary to the minister: what is the cost of the trial and where is the funding coming from?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries) (15:02): The Strathalbyn GPs, not unreasonably, expressed to Country Health, as part of the negotiations for renewal of their contracts, that the Strathalbyn GPs who provide doctors to the Strathalbyn hospital would not be in a position to continue to offer an overnight cover service, as they have been doing until now. Country Health worked with the Strathalbyn GPs about the best way forward, and all parties agreed that the best way forward would be to have—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: Isn't it great to see the Liberal Party standing up for the community of Mount Barker, interjecting and expressing clear opposition to the model that has been agreed to between Country Health and the GPs in Strathalbyn? I find the chorus of opposition from members opposite quite enlightening. Nonetheless, I won't be diverted.

It was a model that was agreed to with the Strathalbyn GPs because, not unreasonably, they have said that they are not in a position any longer to continue offering overnight service. Mount Barker hospital is 20 minutes from Strathalbyn, a 20-minute drive from Strathalbyn to Mount Barker.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: No, that is normal driving speed. Even my driver, who is not noted for his swiftness when it comes to driving, is able to travel between—

Ms REDMOND: Point of order: now that the minister is telling us about the speed at which his driver drives around the place, I think perhaps relevance might be a point of order.

The SPEAKER: I am very tempted to remove the member for Heysen for the remainder of question time for that weak point of order. I will look it up on Whereis.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: I was responding to interjections, Mr Speaker, it is true. This is a very good arrangement and, in fact, provides a superior service to the people of Strathalbyn and to the people of Mount Barker because it means that people from Strathalbyn, with the contract we had with the GPs—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: The contract with the GPs was that a GP wasn't present at the Strathalbyn hospital overnight. The GP was on call and, under the contract, the GP had to be there within half an hour. Many people presenting to the Strathalbyn hospital would be waiting up to half an hour to be seen by a doctor.

Under the new arrangement, which we are trialling for three months, there will not be a doctor on call at Mount Barker hospital, but a doctor will be actually present overnight at the Mount Barker hospital. People in Strathalbyn who need to see a doctor will be able to go to Mount Barker hospital, and there will be a doctor there on site to see them. This is, we believe, a far superior service.

Yes, there is an additional cost, and that is being met by the department because we are committed to looking after the people of Mount Barker and because the member for Mayo is particularly interested in the care of her community, working hard for that community to make sure they get the services they need. It is simply a fact: the Mount Barker community and the catchment of the Mount Barker hospital is more than 70,000 and approaching 100,000 people. That is a growing community, and it is interesting that the Liberal Party have given up on it already.

The SPEAKER: According to Whereis, the driving time between Mount Barker and Strathalbyn is 19 minutes.