SA Health

The Hon. F. PANGALLO (15:02): Supplementary: could it be that some of these 30 to 40 per cent needlessly in our hospitals could be accommodated in a hotel room?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (15:02): In terms of those who have finished their medical treatment and are waiting for transport back to their home, that may well be included in the figure. I doubt if it would be a sizeable element. I know that the former Labor government closed a 47-person facility patient accommodation at the Royal Adelaide Hospital a year before the new Royal Adelaide was opened and made no alternative provision for patient accommodation.

Certainly, Tim Whetstone, the member for Chaffey in the other place, has highlighted the negative impact that had on country patients. So there is no doubt that there are some patients who are occupying inpatient beds because they are, if you like, not awaiting care but awaiting transport. It might be that a loved one needs to make a trip to pick them up. It may be that they have other transport arrangements they need to put in place. That is why the Central Adelaide Local Health Network is currently trialling the use of hotel beds.

Let's be clear: patient accommodation can come in lots of forms. I think we all know the iconic properties on Dequetteville Terrace and Greenhill Road, which are facilities run by the Cancer Council specifically for cancer patients and their families. They are often full. In fact, only this week I was talking to a renal failure patient from the South-East who was saying how difficult it is for them to, if you like, stay engaged in their medical treatment. They live remotely from Adelaide. Their health needs are, shall we say, at a tertiary level; they can't get them in Mount Gambier.

Accommodation is a significant issue for them. To be frank, they also said the variable rate of fuel was an issue. The PAT Scheme I think was last reviewed in 2013. Petrol prices have gone up since then. I am glad the Treasurer is able to hear my gentle advocacy for making sure that we can do the best we can to support country people. PATS is part of that and provides support in terms of transport costs and it also provides support in terms of patient accommodation.

I mentioned the Cancer Council but there are certainly other entities that provide accommodation. The Hospital Research Foundation has a facility near The Queen Elizabeth Hospital and I think elsewhere. I have heard recently that the Leukaemia Foundation is also providing patient accommodation. Whether it is the health system or the charitable sector there is an acute awareness of providing access to South Australians for health care. Particularly for country South Australians we need to provide patient accommodation.