Coronavirus, Health Advice

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (14:32): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before addressing a question without notice to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing on the topic of COVID-19 hotline operating hours in South Australia.

Leave granted.

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS: With a new cluster of cases in South Australia and the new restrictions in place, there are many people in the community who are looking for reliable answers, advice and support. COVID-19 doesn't cause concerns only during business hours or a designated window of time. People for whom the situation is stressful or exacerbating other stressors or problems don't only need support during that fixed window of time. The South Australian Health website directs people to multiple hotlines, but in particular we have the COVID-19 Information Line and the COVID-19 Mental Health Support Line. However, both of these only operate during limited hours.

In contrast, in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland, they all have 24/7 COVID hotlines available. Meanwhile, our regular COVID hotline operates between 9 and 5, seven days a week, but even WA, who also has limited operating hours, has their hotline operating from 7am to 10pm. Indeed, while the mental health hotline operated by Uniting Communities operates 8am to 8pm every day, that seems to be targeted to support those people who are in lengthy periods of self-quarantine and those practising social distancing—and the callback service, again, is only 9 to 5. My questions to the minister are:

1. Why are the operating hours so limited for the SA COVID-19 Information Line and the SA COVID-19 Mental Health Support Line?

2. Why don't they operate more extended hours or, indeed, 24/7 in times when the state is in a declared hotspot by other jurisdictions, as it is currently?

3. Given the new cluster of cases in SA, will this be addressed to expand these services in these difficult times?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:34): I thank the honourable member for her question and doing the chamber a service by reminding them of the range of services that are available to citizens to support them in this time. I think the honourable member makes a very good point: in periods of particular stress, there would be value in looking at opening times. There are a lot of demands on the SA Health team, and we are very grateful for the work of the wider Public Service in terms of mobilisation to support us, particularly at times like these. I will certainly take the honourable member's suggestions back to the SA Health team.