Obstetric Services

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (15:24): Will the minister commit additional resources to Finders Medical Centre to cope with the increased pressure that this closure will undoubtedly place on the public system?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (15:24): SA Health, and particularly SALHN, will have to consider the impact of the Flinders Private decision, but there are a number of factors happening here. First of all, there's private hospital bed supply. Not having been in this situation myself, I am advised that there is a growing trend amongst Australian families—and particularly amongst Australian women—to choose public obstetrics services rather than private.

It may well be that one of the factors at play could be a general reduction in demand. In that context, the demand shifting onto the public system would have been experienced for some time and, as I am advised, has been noticeable for some time. In that sense, the move at Flinders may be an indication of a long-term trend that SALHN is already experiencing. Those are two possible scenarios: e.g. that private hospital patients go elsewhere or, secondly, we are seeing a long-term trend in women's choice of obstetrics services.