Oakden Mental Health Facility

Mr DULUK (Davenport) (14:54): My question is again to the Minister for Mental Health. What steps did the minister personally take to assess Ward 18 as a medium to long-term option for current residents of Oakden Older Persons Mental Health Service?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries) (14:54): I had a conversation, as I have said previously to the parliament, with senior officers of the Southern Area Local Health Network who are responsible for Ward 18 and they were quite emphatic that Ward 18 was not suited to the sort of long-term accommodation required for residents at Oakden. Ward 18 is designed as a short-term acute care facility and is not suited to the sort of long-term care that would be required from residents of Oakden. But in any case, the Minister for Mental Health has already put out there how we will accommodate residents of the Oakden facility, and I think it is a far better resolution than what the opposition propose.