Modbury Hospital

Dr HARVEY (Newland) (15:37): I rise today to once again speak on the upgrades at Modbury Hospital. I am always excited when I am given the opportunity to update the house on this fantastic project for our community in the north-east, where the government is returning key health services to the hospital that were stripped away under Labor's Transforming Health experiment.

The Marshall Liberal government has invested $98 million to upgrade Modbury Hospital, bringing world-class health services closer to home to people in the north-east. Whether I am out doorknocking, at the shops, making phone calls, or at local businesses, sports clubs or at community groups, it is an unusual day if someone does not raise the Modbury Hospital upgrade with me.

There is just so much excitement within the community, and the hospital is held in such high regard. It is genuinely a community hospital. It is important to note, though, that this project is obviously very important to us in the north-east, but it is only one part of the government's suite of upgrades right across hospitals across our state. Just about every hospital—I think every hospital in the metropolitan area—is getting some sort of upgrade, but the Modbury, as I said, is a particularly important part of our area in the north-east of Adelaide.

Recently, I was fortunate enough to be able to tour the new outpatient facility at Modbury with the Minister for Health and Wellbeing and the member for King, and we were not disappointed. The new facility delivers pre-admission, medical, surgical, women's and paediatric, and allied services in a modern environment to better support the health and wellbeing of South Australians, particularly residents of Adelaide's north-east, having up to 24 different specialty services on the first floor, and the ground floor is now a dedicated women's and paediatric clinic. The minister and I were particularly thrilled to see how modern the clinic looked, with it being especially approachable for children as they wait for their appointments.

Outpatient reform is a critical priority for the Marshall Liberal government, working hard with the Northern Adelaide Local Health Network to reduce waiting times. I am aware that the waiting times have now reduced by 50 per cent in 12 months and, when you consider the year we have experienced, that is certainly an extraordinary achievement. To be able to reduce waiting times in a pandemic is not something that can be easily overlooked, and I want to commend the Northern Adelaide Local Health Network's efforts in that regard.

In addition, a state-of-the-art audiology booth, ophthalmology laser room and a new outpatient department-specific plaster room will enable the hospital to undertake more procedures, allowing patients to receive more services without having to go to the Lyell McEwin Hospital or the Royal Adelaide Hospital. Some of the outpatient specialties delivering services in the new facilities include gynaecology, orthopaedics, ophthalmology, physiological substitution, plastics, podiatry, breast care, ENT, audiology, respiratory, rheumatology, vascular, renal and urology services.

Gastroenterology services will also return on site, with plans to undertake neurology outpatient procedures in the future. Immunisations for both pregnant women and children will also commence in the near future, with the new unit having a designated medication room and immunisation fridge installed. Building works will continue as further progress is made on the development of a new palliative care unit and short stay medical unit, due for completion in January 2022.

Of course, the outpatient department opening, which followed shortly after the also recent opening of the high dependency unit, increases the complexity of cases that can be taken at Modbury Hospital, reducing transfers to other hospitals such as the Lyell McEwin Hospital and the Royal Adelaide Hospital. The new outpatient department is a very exciting milestone for the Modbury Hospital upgrades. The Marshall Liberal government is committed to ensuring that all South Australians are able to receive world-class health care and, with specific regard to the people in the north-east, this government is committed to bringing those services closer to home.