Preventative Health

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (16:34): My question is to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing. Can the minister please update the council on preventative health services?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (16:34): I thank the honourable member for his question.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! I would be grateful if I could hear the minister.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: Thank you for your protection, Mr President. The Marshall Liberal government was elected with a strong commitment to increase the focus on preventative health. In the words of the sage advice, prevention is better than cure, and this is true both for individuals and for the health system. It's estimated that every dollar spent in preventative health saves you $5 in acute hospital care. As we drive down risky behaviour, such as smoking or alcohol and drug abuse, we will see ongoing benefits for individuals and health across the community.

An example of a very successful preventative health program is BreastScreen SA, which this month celebrates its two millionth breast screen. BreastScreen SA has been providing free screening to South Australian women for over 30 years and during that time it is estimated that 12,000 South Australian women have had their lives saved through this service. Evidence shows a reduction in the chances of dying from breast cancer of up to 40 per cent for women who undertake regular screening. This is a clear benefit for the individuals involved, as well as for their families and loved ones.

BreastScreen SA operates across the state, with three mobile screening units providing services to regional South Australia and seven clinics in metropolitan Adelaide, hence their slogan From Ocean to Outback. There are currently two additional pop-up clinics operating in Port Lincoln and Victor Harbor. The government is determined to provide these high-quality and life-saving services to South Australian women in an accessible manner.

It's heartening to see the high uptake during the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the unfortunate side effects of the pandemic is that some people might hesitate to maintain the regular care and check-ups that can help early discovery and more successful treatment of serious conditions. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to meet BreastScreen SA's two millionth patient and was encouraged to hear firsthand from the staff at the clinic that the number of women presenting for a screen has actually increased in the past months. I thank South Australian women for maintaining their care and I thank the staff of BreastScreen SA for the fantastic work over three decades they have done to keep South Australian women safe.