Flinders Medical Centre

The Hon. I. PNEVMATIKOS (15:16): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Health and Wellbeing in relation to the Flinders Medical Centre.

Leave granted.

The Hon. I. PNEVMATIKOS: We have received reports that an 84-year-old man passed away at Flinders Medical Centre approximately two months ago. He was originally admitted to the hospital for suspected kidney stones. We understand that the patient had one operative procedure, following which he began refusing treatment and medication. We have also received reports that no action was taken to notify the family of the patient's deteriorating state or of his refusal to take his medication for days, in spite of the fact that the family were visiting every day. Tests were finally commenced and medication administered only a few hours prior to the patient's death.

My question to the minister is: why was the family of a patient of Flinders Medical Centre, who died after admission for kidney stones, not notified of the deteriorating state of their loved one? Why do the family continue to be in the dark in terms of the circumstances and the cause of his death some two months later?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (15:18): I am concerned to hear about the circumstances that the member refers to. If the member would like to make the details available to me, I will certainly follow them up. I can assure you that SA Health regards patient and family-centred care as a fundamental value and it always strive to deliver that. As I said, I will follow that up if the member is able to give me details.