COVID-19 Health System Response Strategy

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (14:25): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Health and Wellbeing regarding the COVID response.

The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The Leader of the Opposition is out of order.

The Hon. J.M.A. Lensink interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: And so is the Minister for Human Services.

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: Shame, Michelle!

The PRESIDENT: Order! I think the crossbench might be busy having lots of questions today because at the moment the opposition and the government aren't showing that they deserve them.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: No. Let's put it this way: we are getting to the stage of me asking a question.

Leave granted.

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: The COVID-19 Health System Response Strategy document released yesterday references positive COVID-19 patients potentially transferring to hospital using 'an individual's private vehicle'. The same document also says, and again I quote:

The utilisation of SAAS vehicles will be limited to those individuals requiring acute emergency care where routine transfers can be delivered through partnership agreements with contracted providers or an individual's private vehicle.

My questions to the minister are:

1. Will positive COVID-19 patients be expected to drive themselves to hospital?

2. Is the government privatising the transport of positive COVID-19 cases between hospitals?

3. Who exactly are the contracted providers who will be tasked with taking positive COVID-19 patients to hospital?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:27): The reality is that about half of our ED presentations are self-presentations. It's not uncommon for sick people to be transported or self-transported. In terms of COVID, I think it's important to appreciate that the vast majority of patients will have very mild symptoms. In fact, when they are making their way for testing or treatment, they may not be aware of their COVID-positive status.

In terms of transportation of COVID-positive people, there is a whole series of documents that have been released this week and one of them includes the SA Ambulance Resilience Plan, which is a detailed description of how the Ambulance Service intends to be ready in three phases of possible response.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The Leader of the Opposition is out of order.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: In terms of vehicles, the plan involves relocating all response-capable vehicles to the frontline. The plan also envisages that non-ambulance transport will be used for some COVID patients. There will be additional fleet and early servicing, and there will be use of private providers for low acuity transfers, as required. Before the members opposite start bleating 'privatisation', I will remind honourable members that in the former Labor government a significant—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The minister will continue.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: As the Hon. Robert Simms I am sure discovered in his committee inquiry, the former Labor government had the Southern Adelaide Local Health Network using non-SAAS patient transport, as did a number of country hospitals. They might bleat about privatisation, but their record speaks for itself—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: —that when the health system needs transport—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: —it should be able to engage a range of stakeholders, including SAAS.