Queen Elizabeth Hospital

The Hon. C. BONAROS (14:33): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Health and Wellbeing a question about The QEH.

Leave granted.

The Hon. C. BONAROS: The iconic Queen Elizabeth Hospital at Woodville, or The QEH as it is fondly called, has been serving the people of the western suburbs for decades including, at one stage, a suite of obstetrics and gynaecology services. As we all know in this place, the former Labor government slashed a number of important medical services at the hospital, including its obstetric service, during its 16 years in power and this forced hundreds of women living in the west requiring such services to either attend the Lyell McEwin Hospital at Elizabeth Vale or the Women's and Children's Hospital.

With yet another kick in the guts to these women and their families, I have been informed that CALHN's CEO, Lesley Dwyer, only last week told The QEH's clinical director of gynaecology, Dr Roy Watson, that all gynaecology services at the hospital are to end and that all services will be transferred to the new Women's and Children's Hospital, which as we know is not due to open for another six years.

I am also informed the WCH senior executives were only informed of this news yesterday and are already concerned the new Women's and Children's Hospital won't have the capacity to accommodate the projected increases in patients. My questions to the minister are:

1. Can you confirm this decision to close gynaecology services at The QEH?

2. If so, on what grounds has this decision been made?

3. When will the crucial services end?

4. Are you confident the new Women's and Children's will have the capacity needed to deal with increases in women requiring gynaecology services?

5. Are there broader plans to centralise obstetrics throughout metropolitan Adelaide?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:35): I think it is important to appreciate that the reconfiguration of services that the honourable member is referring to was the subject of the extensive consultation process that led to the finalisation of the final business case for the Women's and Children's Hospital and the government's announcement on Tuesday of a $1.959 billion investment—

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: How much?

The Hon. S.G. WADE: A $1.959 billion investment in the new Women's and Children's Hospital, a proposal that was opposed by the Labor Party at the last election, a commitment that this government is determined to deliver. It would be—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. E.S. Bourke: When is it going to be built again?

The PRESIDENT: Order! The Hon. Ms Bourke and the Leader of the Opposition are out of order.

The Hon. E.S. Bourke: There will literally be a—

The PRESIDENT: Order, the Hon. Ms Bourke!

The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order, the leader! The minister has been asked a question by the crossbench and he is endeavouring to answer it, and I think the crossbench and others would like to hear the answer.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: I would like to remind honourable members of the consultation that was engaged in in relation to the new Women's and Children's Hospital: over 700 people, 580 clinicians, culminating in an intensive two-day workshop, which finalised what the hospital needs going forward.

Of course, not only is this decision continuing to maintain the new Women's and Children's Hospital as the, if you like, flagship of our women's and children's health services right across the network, but even in the decision itself we have affirmed our commitment to services that are more appropriately distributed demographically. The government has made it very clear that we are intending, over time, to build up services in the Northern Adelaide Local Health Network. In terms of the local health networks, it is that network which has the lowest level of self-sufficiency.

In terms of the services the honourable member refers to, it was the subject of consultation in the preparation of the new Women's and Children's Hospital business case. There will be further consultation with stakeholders and time frames will be notified at the appropriate time.