Elective Surgery

The Hon. I. PNEVMATIKOS (14:55): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Health and Wellbeing regarding health.

Leave granted.

The Hon. I. PNEVMATIKOS: Tony Hodgetts was marked urgent for cataract surgery at the Royal Adelaide Hospital over 12 months ago. Tony is rapidly going blind and requires glaucoma treatment. This cannot happen until the cataracts are removed. For 12 months now Tony's case has been cancelled, deferred and buck-passed. Tony has reached out to the minister's office on several occasions, but advises that he has received ill-informed, standard responses and more buck-passing. My questions to the minister are:

1. Does the minister think it is acceptable for South Australians to be going blind from preventable causes under his watch?

2. Will the minister commit to properly investigating Tony's terrifyingly long wait for a simple procedure?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:56): It is self-evident that this government does not believe it is acceptable that people experience long elective surgery waits, and that is exactly why in the most recent budget the government invested $20 million in elective surgery.

I will certainly check the records in terms of the case the honourable member refers to, but my general advice to people who are waiting is to make sure they stay in contact with their GP, that their GP is aware of their current circumstances and, if an update in terms of their clinical state or their personal circumstances is appropriate, then the GP can get in touch with the clinic.

Certainly, eye services is an area where there are waits, and it is an area of concern to the government, which is why we are investing significant amounts of money to help ease the list. That involves partnerships with the private sector. All of the metropolitan hospitals, as I understand it, have partnerships with private hospitals to help bring down those lists.