Modbury Hospital

Ms LUETHEN (King) (15:46): On this fine St Patrick's Day, I wish to provide an important update on our Marshall Liberal government's $96 million upgrade to Modbury Hospital. This was another election promise I made which is being delivered for people living in King. People told me that the Modbury Hospital upgrade and returning local health services were priorities. As a result of my constituents' feedback, I have advocated on their behalf with my colleagues, with the health minister, the Treasurer and the Premier, for better local health services in the north.

I am so pleased we are now getting on with the job to deliver the Modbury Hospital upgrade and we are building what matters for people living in King. People tell me they have not forgotten that Modbury Hospital was downgraded under Labor's disastrous Transforming Health plan. Fast-forward to today and our upgrade of Modbury Hospital is getting closer to completion. This important project will ease pressure on our busy emergency departments, modernise the ageing facility and increase capabilities and facilities for patients and staff.

Did you know that our Modbury Hospital upgrade has created 1,378 jobs so far? How great is this for the north-east? The extensive upgrades to our local Modbury Hospital are all part of the record-breaking, billion-dollar health infrastructure built across the state. Did you know that our $96 million Modbury Hospital upgrade includes an expanded acute surgical unit, completed eight-bed extended emergency care unit, an acute short stay general medical unit, a new purpose-built 20-bed palliative care unit, the re-establishment of a high dependency unit, a new multilevel outpatient department facility, and an upgraded engineering infrastructure/facade remediation?

So far, we have used 100 tonnes of reinforced steel manufactured locally in Cavan. Recently, at a visit to Floors 2 Go Christmas party, I met another local business owner who won the job to manufacture the flooring for our upgraded hospitals. He told me they have never been busier. There have been around 200 construction workers on site, and 1,378 people have been involved in building this Modbury Hospital upgrade. It is so exciting to see all the progress we have made to date.

On Thursday night, 8 April, the member for Newland and I are hosting a joint community forum on Modbury Hospital with the Hon. Stephen Wade MLC, Minister for Health and Wellbeing. Our joint community forum will be held at the Modbury Bowling Club, which is located at 50-97 Jack High Lane in Ridgehaven. I encourage people in my electorate of King to come and hear from the minister about the details of this $96 million upgrade to the Modbury Hospital. If you would like to attend, RSVPs are essential for our joint community health forum and are required by Thursday 1 April.

On a statewide perspective, as we speak hospitals across South Australia are undergoing major upgrades. Once complete, there will be new emergency departments, more beds and better facilities for patients and staff across the state. There is no denying the health system we inherited still faces challenges. There is so much more to do, but we will deliver. We have a long-term, sustainable plan.

We have employed hundreds more doctors, nurses and paramedics and are investing $20 million to address the shortage of doctors and other healthcare professionals in rural areas. A whole range of initiatives are now in place to link people with more appropriate, urgent care in the community. We are looking after people in their home. We are easing the pressure on our busy emergency departments. We are negotiating with the ambulance workforce to agree on more efficient, patient-centred rosters so ambulances can meet patient demand across South Australia. Our health system should provide the very best care to patients at every stage of their lives.

Thank you for the opportunity today to provide an update on how our Marshall Liberal government is delivering better local health services in the north-east, and at the same time we are creating more jobs with our $96 million upgrade to Modbury Hospital.