Flinders Medical Centre

The Hon. F. PANGALLO (15:06): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Health and Wellbeing regarding the quality of care at one of our major hospitals.

Leave granted.

The Hon. F. PANGALLO: Last week, I raised several recent cases of questionable care given to patients, both young and elderly, at the Women's and Children's Hospital, the Royal Adelaide Hospital and Flinders Medical Centre. These would not be isolated cases in a health system that is stressed and paranoid about government-contracted toe cutters and bean counters. Today, I highlight the case of 69-year-old widower Adrian Kenny, whose treatment at the Flinders Medical Centre was brought to my attention by his daughter Fern.

According to his daughter, last Monday Mr Kenny was fit enough to do his regular gym activity but, after suffering a fall at home, he was taken to the Flinders Medical Centre in agonising pain. The following day at 11am, Mr Kenny was told he had pneumonia, was given a bottle of antibiotics and discharged. By 2pm, a distressed Mr Kenny was in such pain that he couldn't breathe and could barely walk, and was returned to the hospital by his daughter.

The following day, doctors eventually discovered the cause of his discomfort: he had six broken ribs, a fractured vertebrae and a torn lung, resulting in blood having to be pumped from his chest. Lucky he didn't die. The misdiagnosis is adding to costs which could have been avoided. My questions to the minister are:

1. Will he now order an immediate investigation into how this could be allowed to happen to Mr Kenny and others I have raised?

2. Have stressed hospital staff at all our major hospitals been instructed to carry out KordaMentha's recommendation at the RAH that they must meet a deadline of 1.5 days in discharging patients, unless their condition is obvious they need to stay longer?

3. Is there a culture or practice within our hospital system where lower priority is given to aged patients?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (15:08): I will certainly take the details of Mr Kenny's case and seek information for the honourable member. I certainly would regret that the care Mr Kenny received didn't meet his expectations. I don't think Mr Kenny was an elderly gentleman: I think you said he was in his 50s but—

The Hon. F. Pangallo: Sixty-nine.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: In terms of the general question about the care given to older South Australians, older South Australians are entitled to health care like any other South Australian. The government expects, and SA Health values would reflect the fact, that they need to be given the care they need.