Flinders Medical Centre

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Leader of the Opposition) (14:18): My question is to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing. Was a Code Yellow declared in March to manage the internal operational challenges of the Flinders Medical Centre? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: On ABC radio on 9 May, Bernadette Mulholland of SASMOA highlighted that Code Yellows exist to deal with short-term crises and imminent risks within a hospital. She went on to claim that Flinders, and I quote, 'was being used for what the doctors considered was quite normal business at the present time, where your hospital's in crisis, there is ramping and there is access block at the front of the house.'

The Hon. C.J. PICTON (Kaurna—Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:19): I'm not entirely sure—is the member suggesting that the issue is that our hospitals are not in crisis and therefore that there is not a problem that needs to be addressed? This is a measure that was put in place by the CEO of the Southern Adelaide Local Health Network, Dr Kerrie Freeman. This was put in place, I think, around two months ago and was removed well in excess of a month ago. We have already answered questions on this in the house previously in relation to that. I am certainly not saying that our hospitals are not very busy; if the leader is suggesting otherwise, then I invite him to say so.