SA Health Awards

The Hon. H.M. GIROLAMO (14:57): My question is to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing. Will the minister please update the council on what the government is doing to recognise excellence in innovation in public health?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:57): I thank the honourable member for her question. I think it's a very pertinent question. The political process and industrial processes highlight the negative in our health services, but we should never lose sight of the fact that in spite of the range of challenges we are blessed with one of the best health services in the world.

On Friday 19 November, it was my privilege and honour to attend the 13^th annual SA Health Awards, which were held once again at the Adelaide Town Hall. The awards celebrate and reward the programs and projects, the individuals and the teams whose drive and dedication has significantly improved the delivery of health services to their fellow South Australians or whose commitment to service improvements is enhancing the overall performance of our public health system.

The SA Health Awards are divided into 10 categories and there were three finalists in each category. Each finalist was showcased in a short video presentation in which the nominees explained what they had done, highlighted why it is important and gave a sense of how their work is enhancing the delivery of health care in this state. Each video only lasts for about a minute—the longest was less than 90 seconds long—yet each one captured the power of what had been achieved by passionate public servants.

Members probably won't be surprised to learn that half of the awards this year went to COVID-related activities, wonderful, amazing, important work that has kept our community safe and strong over the last two unprecedented years. But even during the pandemic, life goes on and the SA Health team has continued to deliver quality ongoing health services. In recognition of this, five awards recognised outstanding achievements in services unrelated to COVID, work that is driving innovation and improvements in the delivery of health care in our state.

One of those awards, the Minister's Research and Innovation Award, went to the cardiothoracic surgery and plastic and reconstructive surgery units in the Central Adelaide Local Health Network. In an Australian-first procedure, surgeons in those units successfully implanted a 3D-printed polymer breastbone in a patient battling cancer. The surgery involved removing the patient's sternum so a tumour could be cut out and then replacing the sternum with a new 3D-printed one that was an exact replica of their old one—extraordinary innovation.

The Excellence and Innovation in Aboriginal Health Award went to SA Pharmacy for its Closing the Gap Medicines Access Program. The program, which commenced in 2017, reduces the costs of medicines dispensed from South Australian public hospital pharmacies for eligible Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. In the four years it's been running, the program has helped more than 7,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people access over 40,000 medications.

The Enhancing Hospital Care Award went to a project driven by South Australian Medical Imaging and children's anaesthesia in the Women's and Children's Hospital network. This project has seen a team of anaesthetic and radiology staff work together to significantly reduce the number of general anaesthetics given to babies who require interventional radiology procedures.

The Young Professional of the Year Award went to Dr Andrew Vanlint for the improvements he has introduced to doctors' clinical documentation and a new approach to the way medical discharge summaries are presented. This award I found particularly challenging. I have known Andrew for over three decades and the fact that he won a young professional award both delighted me and made me feel old!

In this brief response, I have only been able to identify four of the 10 awards. I want to conclude by congratulating all the winners and all the finalists for the inspiring work they do. I would encourage members of the council and every South Australian, if they have the time, to take a few minutes to watch one or more of the 30 video presentations played at the award ceremony and posted on the SA Health website. I assure you it will be time well spent, time that will leave you both inspired and appreciative of what SA Health staff do, how they go above and beyond searching for and striving to find ways to improve the systems and services South Australians rely on.