Patient Assistance Transport Scheme

Mr BELL (Mount Gambier) (14:40): My question is to the Minister for Health.

Mr COWDREY: A supplementary, sir?

The SPEAKER: I am so sorry, but you need to seek the call at an earlier stage. The call has already been given to the member for Mount Gambier. However, I will turn to the member for Colton next and we can treat it as a question from the outset.

Mr BELL: My question is to the Minister for Health. Can the minister advise the house if the health department has a targeted processing time for Patient Assistance Transport Scheme (PATS) claims? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Mr BELL: A Mount Gambier resident named Louise recently contacted the PATS office to inquire about the progress of her husband's PATS claim following a trip to Adelaide for cancer treatment. She was advised that currently there is a 10-week wait that will be increasing to 12 to 14 weeks due to a lack of staff and a backlog of claims.

The Hon. C.J. PICTON (Kaurna—Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:41): I thank the member for Mount Gambier for his question. I certainly haven't been advised of that and I will make inquiries in relation to that matter. PATS, as the member knows and all members know, is a very important scheme for people across country South Australia, and that's why this government took action at the beginning of this year to double the fuel rebates, which has been of great assistance to many South Australians. But certainly, if there are issues in terms of the processing time, then we will look into that with some urgency and take what appropriate action needs to happen.