Emergency Departments

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:11): Supplementary to the Minister for Health: if there hasn't been a downgrade at the Modbury Hospital, why then, as reported by the head of the Modbury emergency department, are more than 3,600 patients now being transferred from Modbury Hospital to Lyell McEwin each year?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries) (14:12): There have always been transfers from the Modbury Hospital to other hospitals, either to the Lyell McEwin or to the Royal Adelaide Hospital. There have always been significant numbers of transfers from the Modbury Hospital to other hospitals. There is nothing new in that.

The increase in the number of transfers has been minimal—absolutely minimal—and in fact it has been less than our modelling anticipated. As I said, it is roughly 10 a day. There have been times when it has been significantly lower than that. Modbury Hospital is dealing very well with the presentations it is receiving. It is transferring those patients where it is appropriate for them to be transferred, and that is well within and in fact significantly fewer than our modelling suggested when we made these reforms.