Ambulance Ramping

The Hon. I. PNEVMATIKOS (14:59): My question is to the Minister for Health. Why did ambulance ramping go up after the minister's ramping talkfest in February last year that, according to the government's own figures, skyrocketed from 1,177 hours in March 2018 to a state record of 1,905 hours in September 2019?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:59): I thank the member for her question because it gives me an opportunity to reflect on positive progress being made in relation to ambulance ramping. The latest January transfer-of-care figures, which were released this week, confirm that despite a busy workload, transfer of care for January totalled 1,215, which is a 20 per cent decrease from the previous month and a 10 per cent decrease compared to January 2019. I would also note that it is the second month-on-month improvement.

It also gives me a chance to reflect on conversations I had earlier today with health leaders, both from the central hospitals and from the Ambulance Service, about the progress being made over the previous year and the progress that we will be making this year. Some of the most exciting initiatives from the previous year, I believe, are the priority care centres, which provide the first alternative pathway for urgent care in decades.

This is particularly of benefit, as I said to this morning's summit, to older South Australians, because older South Australians are more likely to be more chronic cases and therefore more likely to be detained on a ramp, rather than receiving immediate care at an emergency department. So the priority care centre gives them a much better opportunity for a timely response.

I don't want to be distracted, but it does remind me of a conversation that I had with an older South Australian at the priority care centre at Hindmarsh. This was last month—we are now in February; I spoke to her during January. She reflected that she needed care. From the time that she was picked up by the ambulance to the time that the ambulance took her to the priority care centre and returned her to her home, it was an hour and a quarter.

These particular centres are receiving extremely positive patient feedback, and how could it be otherwise? In fact, last year I met a gentleman at the same centre who, I think it would be true to say, had dozens of falls in the previous years. Elderly South Australians are particularly prone to falls. That had led to a number of experiences of EDs and a number of cases where he was delayed in the transfer of care. He was delighted that a priority care centre was now available so that he could go straight in to receive the care.

The other really positive initiative that was rolled out late last year—and I am disappointed that the Hon. Tammy Franks is not with us today, but hopefully she is listening on her Facebook, or whatever one uses to livestream the parliament—

The PRESIDENT: Minister—

The Hon. S.G. WADE: Sorry, is that inappropriate?

The PRESIDENT: You shouldn't be referring to someone who is not in the chamber.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: Sorry; I don't think I'm the first person to have done it today, but anyway, let's put it this way: I know that the Hon. Tammy Franks welcomes the initiative of the government to embed mental—

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: Point of order, Mr President: I think I just heard the honourable minister on his feet disrespecting the Chair and your attempt to give him some guidance in terms of standing orders.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The minister inadvertently referred to a member that was in the chamber. He did not then refer to a member that was not in the chamber. It is not unfair to refer to a member of the chamber. Minister, continue.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: Thank you, Mr President. The point I was making was that the Hon. Tammy Franks specifically asked me about this initiative. I think she was talking about the rollout of a similar initiative in Victoria. Embedding a mental health clinician with a paramedic is a very sensible way to provide better links to community care for people with mental health issues.

My understanding is that Western Australia has a similar initiative. It was piloted in the Central Adelaide Local Health Network last year. We are very much looking to scaling it out in other districts, but—

The Hon. I.K. Hunter interjecting:

The Hon. S.G. WADE: This year is a new year. It's great to start the new year with positive reductions in ambulance ramping, and we are determined to continue to drive positive reform. One of the key ways that we will do that in the coming year is to introduce secondary triage. The clinical telephone assessment will be introduced in mid-2020 to ensure that patients receive the very best care—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Ms Bourke!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: —and are able to access the most appropriate pathway for their needs. So I am delighted the Hon. Ms Pnevmatikos has given me the opportunity to update the house on the positive improvements in ramping figures. I'm delighted to see that the Hon. Ian Hunter is so excited about it.