HAMPSTEAD REHABILITATION CENTRE

In reply to the Hon. J.A. DARLEY (30 November 2011) (First Session).

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for State/Local Government Relations): The Minister for Health and Ageing has been advised:

1. The Minister has been briefed about issues as they have arisen with the planning, development and implementation of paid car parking.

Access ramp:

With the implementation of paid car parking at Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre, one ramp located at the front of an office building was impacted. The building, which is located away from patient care areas, is used primarily by Human Resources staff and the need for public access is limited. The ramp was not appropriate for disability access as per Standard AS 1428.1. However, a nearby ramp at the rear of the building is accessible. The area at the front of the building from where the ramp was removed has been cordoned off from use until a replacement is constructed and staff continue to access the building via the rear entrance. Planning has ensured that the replacement ramp will meet legislative requirements. Requests for tender have recently been distributed and it is estimated that the new ramp will be completed within approximately three months.

Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre has not been notified that any person using a power wheelchair was tipped backwards when trying to negotiate the ramp, which has now been removed.

Sensors and location of boom gates:

Car park boom gates are used to control vehicular access and sensors are located in the road to detect when a vehicle has traversed the boom gate zone so that the gate can close automatically. Sensors on the boom gates themselves are not considered normal industry standard. Neither the boom gates at Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre, nor those at any other SA Health site, have sensors to sense people underneath them as they are lowered.

Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre has pathways leading around the boom gates and appropriate signage alerting staff and clients to the location of these pathways. Staff, clients or the public who pass under a boom gate on foot or in a wheelchair would be doing so along a road designated for traffic only and therefore would be placing themselves at risk.

Fencing has been erected to deter staff from walking through the vehicular traffic only area. The addition of further signage is currently being investigated.

The location of the boom gates was determined through a rigorous planning process which included consultation with local management and traffic consultants. As appropriate, the boom gates are positioned at the main entrances to the car parks.

Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre has not been notified of any person being hit or nearly hit in the head by a boom gate or struck by a car in the car park since the boom gates have been activated. Nor has there been any formal complaint about the position of the boom gates from clients, staff or the public.

Vehicles trapped by construction works:

An incident involving vehicles being unable to exit the car park occurred during the initial construction of the south eastern car park. This issue was rectified within five to ten minutes to allow the cars to exit. There was no additional cost to the project and Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre received no formal complaints about the incident.

Noise and vibrations:

An inspection by a structural engineer determined that cracks in the building were pre-existing and did not result from the car park construction.

2. A planning team, under the direction of an Executive Director, oversaw the planning, development and implementation of paid car parking at the designated SA Health sites. The planning team gave careful consideration to the design of all car parks, taking into account the unique needs of clients, staff and the public at each site. Of those verifiable issues raised by Hon John Darley MP, most were pre-existing and did not result from the work undertaken to implement paid car parking at Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre.

Any minor issues were managed quickly and appropriately by the Car Parking Officer and the Manager Engineering and Building Services in consultation with the project team, with minimal disruption to services to the community or staff.

3. There has been no additional expenditure by the Car Parking Project in relation to the matters raised by Hon John Darley MP. A small additional cost of $1,029 to install a section of fence in the car park was incurred by Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre.

4. The Minister is not aware of problems similar to those alleged by the Hon John Darley MP occurring at other sites. Where minor issues have arisen specific to individual sites, they have been managed appropriately at a local level, with a strategic overview being maintained by the Department for Health and Ageing.