Ardrossan Community Hospital

Mr ELLIS (Narungga) (14:43): I have a question for the Minister for Health. Can the minister update my community as to the status of an SA Health consultant's report on the Ardrossan Community Hospital? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Mr ELLIS: SA Health sent a consultant to the Ardrossan Community Hospital in early May and we understand her recommendations were provided to the LHN about a month ago. The hospital desperately needs clarity on the contents of that report and its future.

The Hon. C.J. PICTON (Kaurna—Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:43): Thank you very much to the member for Narungga for his question, and I note his very strong interest and passion for health services in his community, including at Ardrossan. Ardrossan, of course, is a private community hospital that operates and involves an aged-care facility as well there. We had undertaken in relation to having a report undertaken in relation to the sustainability of the Ardrossan hospital where there have obviously been concerns for a long period of time in relation to the financial sustainability and also workforce issues at that community-run private hospital.

A process was undertaken. Michele Smith, who is the chair of the Eyre and Far North Local Health Network and also has experience in terms of running country hospitals and also a private community hospital as well, undertook a review in relation to that. I understand that has been provided to the local health network, as the member said.

I only recently today met with the chair and the CEO of the Yorke and Northern Local Health Network, and that was one of the topics we discussed. The board of the Yorke and Northern Local Health Network is going to be meeting with both Michele Smith, who undertook the report, and also with the Ardrossan Community Hospital, and its board and executive, to work through the recommendations and appropriate consideration of those.