Ambulance Ramping

Mr PICTON (Kaurna) (15:37): My question is to the Premier. Can the Premier explain why a 93 year old was left ramped for six hours at the Flinders Medical Centre? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Mr PICTON: On Thursday 15 April, the Ambulance Employees Association reported that a 93-year-old patient was taken to Flinders Medical Centre after a fall. Noarlunga Hospital had previously refused to accept the patient. The elderly patient was ramped for over six hours. They were kept lying completely flat in spinal precautions on a hard ambulance stretcher, which is not designed for long-term use by elderly patients who are at high risk of pressure injuries. The patient could not drink or toilet properly over those over six hours.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, members on my left!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Playford will leave for 20 minutes in accordance with standing order 137A.

The honourable member for Playford having withdrawn from the chamber:

The SPEAKER: The Minister for Education has the call.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta—Minister for Education) (15:38): I thank the member for the question. Obviously he has asked a question in relation to a serious incident and I will seek further information. I do note that in relation to the Flinders Medical Centre emergency department waiting room, when the member was indeed the adviser for health, a series of events took place described in the former minister's book, which I am sure the member has—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, members on my left!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Kaurna!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Minister for Education will resume his seat for a moment. Members on my left and members on my right, I am endeavouring to listen to the answer by the Minister for Education. The minister has the call.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: We do take this very seriously, sir, and indeed the crocodile tears of those opposite when they start laughing and shouting at a serious answer—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis: At you.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: At me? Yes, indeed, that is incredibly—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: —grown-up behaviour by members of parliament pretending to serve communities. The fact is that former Minister for Health John Hill described in the book in the words that were read by the Premier earlier today the flawed approach of the former Labor government of which the member was indeed the adviser for the health minister before I think he was the Chief of Staff for the health minister before he was the assistant minister for health, who was involved in Transforming Health, who delivered Transforming Health, and also delivered—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: —a health facility that was designed in such a way that it required infrastructure improvements that are indeed being invested in by this government, which is fixing the problems that were created under the former government. If, in addition to the structural failures of the building, as was designed by those opposite, there are further contexts and matters that are relevant to this particular case, I will bring back further information to the house.

An honourable member interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Before I call the member for Chaffey, I call to order the member for Cheltenham. I call to order the member for Ramsay.