MILLICENT AND DISTRICT HOSPITAL

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (15:01): I seek leave to make an explanation before asking a question of the minister representing the Minister for Health about obstetric services at Millicent hospital.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: Members will be aware that in recent times there has been some controversy about the Jay Weatherill Labor government's decision, implemented by minister Snelling, to remove obstetric services from the Millicent hospital. Members will also be aware that on a recent cold Wednesday evening a month or so ago almost 500 people turned up to protest at the decision by the Jay Weatherill Labor government being implemented by minister Snelling.

Another issue raised subsequent to that is: what are the arrangements for obstetric services in other hospitals in country South Australia? Some people have suggested that there are examples of hospitals where the average number of births delivered per year in the hospital were less than the number at the Millicent hospital prior to decision by the Jay Weatherill Labor government.

Another issue raised with me was that, in the view of some people, in some country areas (or at least one) Country Health SA entered into an arrangement with a sole GP in terms of delivering the obstetric service at that particular country hospital. The questions that my constituents want put to the Jay Weatherill Labor government in relation to this decision are as follows:

1. Can the minister list all of the hospitals in Country Health SA that have approval to deliver obstetric services, and can the minister also provide the respective Country Health SA classifications or categories of these hospitals in relation to obstetric services?

2. For the last three financial years, can Country Health SA or the minister provide the number of births in each of those hospitals?

3. If there are hospitals with lower numbers of births on an annual basis compared to the number of births at the Millicent hospital, what were the special circumstances in those hospitals that led Country Health SA and the Jay Weatherill Labor government to allow the continuation of obstetric services in those country hospitals and not to make similar decisions at the Millicent hospital?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (15:04): I thank the honourable member for his most important questions on the matter of Country Health SA hospitals and obstetric services. I will undertake to take that question to the Minister for Health and Ageing in the other place and seek a response on his behalf.