COVID-19 Vaccination Rollout

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS (15:04): My question is to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing regarding COVID-19. With the announcement this week that the Pfizer vaccine would be made available to aged-care workers, will the minister update the council on other work being done to support the vaccination of other priority cohorts?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (15:04): I thank the honourable member for his question. The COVID-19 vaccination rollout is the largest peacetime operation in South Australia's history. The Marshall Liberal government is working hard, in partnership with the commonwealth and a range of stakeholders, to give all South Australians the opportunity to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and to do their bit to protect their loved ones and the wider community.

The clinical advisory group ATAGI has designated priority cohorts based on their clinical evaluation of the risk of contracting COVID or their vulnerability to COVID if contracted. One of these priority cohorts is Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander South Australians. Local health networks are developing bespoke strategies to engage their ATSI communities. For example, in the north and north-east of Adelaide, the Northern Adelaide Local Health Network has established a dedicated Aboriginal health hub for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Located within the larger Elizabeth mass vaccination hub, the clinic provides tailored and culturally appropriate care. The vaccination team consists of two clinical nurses, an Aboriginal health practitioner and a primary healthcare worker, all of whom specialise in delivering health services to Aboriginal people. Consumers are met at the entrance and directed through to the clinic, with administrative assistance and further information provided. Assistance with bookings and transport arrangements can be obtained through a dedicated number run by Aboriginal staff.

The NALHN Aboriginal Health service is contacting Watto Purrunna clients to make sure they are aware of the service. An outreach service is also in place to make contact with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are sleeping rough in the metro area or the northern Parklands. SA Health has been working more broadly with Aboriginal leaders and elders to assist in the distribution of regular bulletins and vaccine information and promoting the availability of the specialised service in Elizabeth. The provision of this culturally sensitive service to a vulnerable cohort in the South Australian community is another example of the Marshall Liberal government stepping up to assist with the vaccine rollout in response to the ongoing pandemic.

I want to thank the teams within SA Health who are working hard to provide access to COVID-19 vaccines for South Australians and, in particular, the Northern Adelaide Local Health Network team, who include the following: Kurt Towers, the Executive Director of Aboriginal Health; Tinarra Toohey, the senior Aboriginal health practitioner; Tim Fawcett, the clinical practice nursing director; Toni Shearing, the manager for strategic partnerships and research translation. I thank them for their creativity and innovation in developing a service for their consumers, and I wish them all the best in the weeks and months ahead.