Rural Health Workforce

The Hon. I. PNEVMATIKOS (15:07): Supplementary: what would be the budget impact on hospitals like Port Pirie, Wallaroo, Port Augusta, Whyalla, Port Lincoln and Mount Gambier through the use of locums to pick up the slack?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (15:07): There's no doubt that the use of GPs as inreach services into a hospital is significantly less costly than the use of locums. My recollection is that the daily rate of a locum can be between $1,500 and $2,500, so that the locum option is not an affordable option or a cheap option. Also, it's not a quality option.

Of the honourable members on the government benches, a number of them come from the country and they know how important it is for a country community to have continuity. A locum who flies in from wherever may be there for a very short period of time—probably not enough time to get an understanding of the community and the sort of industry they are involved in and of the sorts of health challenges that that particular community may have, let alone get to know the patient and their medical history. A locum service, almost by definition, can't provide the continuity of care that a locally resident GP and health workforce can provide.