Coronavirus

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Leader of the Opposition) (14:19): Supplementary arising from the answer: would it surprise the minister if casual nurses in the public health system were being stood down and being offered no further shifts at this time?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:19): Casual nurses are by their nature engaged on a shift-by-shift basis, so I don't actually know what the honourable member means by 'being stood down'. As I have already indicated, SA Health is undertaking a range of initiatives that are designed to help us meet the anticipated surge workforce needs, which also assist our casual workforce. For example, a nursing expression of interest pool, established by the Department for Health and Wellbeing as of yesterday, had almost 1½ thousand applications.

Also, I would remind honourable members that, on the weekend, we ('we' being the government) indicated that the Women's and Children's Hospital would be training 80 nurses in intensive care skills. I am advised that a number of those nurses will come from the casual nursing pool. Of course, it's an evolving situation, but I would put it to the honourable member that nurses, midwives, doctors and other health workers are in a much better position than many other people in our community.