Lymphoedema Services

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (14:52): My question is to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing. Will the minister update the chamber on initiatives for South Australians living with lymphoedema?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:52): I thank the honourable member for his question and for his interest in health. Lymphoedema is the term given to swelling, usually although not exclusively in the limbs, resulting from malfunction of the lymphatic system. Treatment for breast cancer is a common cause of lymphoedema. One of the treatments available to people with lymphoedema is compression garments, which assist in reducing the development of associated complications.

At the 2018 state election, the Marshall Liberal government committed to preparing a business case for a compression garment subsidy scheme. We delivered on this commitment and, following the business case, SA Health is establishing an advisory group with key South Australian lymphoedema stakeholders to inform and support implementation of the compression garment subsidy scheme.

These stakeholders include those who can provide the insight coming from lived experience, such as the Lymphoedema Support Group of South Australia, the Australasian Lymphology Association and the Lymphoedema Action Alliance. Invitations for the advisory group were emailed out last week and many invitees have already responded, including the Lymphoedema Support Group of South Australia. I met with the support group in May to discuss the challenges for people living with lymphoedema and to discuss the need for the establishment of a government subsidy scheme in South Australia. The first meeting of the government scheme advisory group will be next month.

This work by the Marshall Liberal government will build on the announcement in May by the commonwealth government of an estimate of $8 million over four years for a subsidy scheme for specialised compression garments for post breast cancer patients suffering from lymphoedema. SA Health will work with the commonwealth to ensure these initiatives are complementary and coordinated.

I am pleased to be part of a government that is delivering a garment compression scheme after years of inaction by the former government, and I look forward to better services and quality of life for people living with lymphoedema.