Royal Adelaide Hospital

The Hon. F. PANGALLO (14:45): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Health and Wellbeing a question about hospital discharges.

Leave granted.

The Hon. F. PANGALLO: A distressed elderly man yesterday rang Leon Byner's top rating FIVEaa radio program to alert the public about the way some patients are being discharged at the RAH. According to the man, who lives in regional South Australia, his 78-year-old neighbour, whom he has cared for over many years, was swiftly discharged from the hospital and put on a commercial flight to Whyalla, the nearest town to her home with an airport.

The elderly woman was put into a taxi at the RAH to Adelaide Airport in the same clothing she was wearing—a nightie, her dressing gown and without shoes—when she was hurriedly ushered aboard a RFDS plane for Adelaide a week earlier. According to the man, who my office contacted this morning, the taxi driver kindly purchased her some shoes so she could at least board the commercial flight in footwear. I would just like to commend the taxi driver on his generosity and concern. It is a demonstration of the value of having a professional, efficient, taxi industry.

Not surprisingly, the elderly woman has been left shaken from the humiliation of her ordeal, according to the neighbour. This incident adds to the growing fear that SA Health is clearing the decks of elderly patients from the state's public hospital system to accommodate an influx of patients now that the COVID-19 outbreak is growing. My question to the minister is:

1. Will your office investigate this matter to determine if the elderly woman was discharged in an appropriate medical condition and why she was not appropriately attired for a commercial flight?

2. In the circumstances as I have described, is it normal practice for patients who are rushed to hospital at short notice to be discharged in the same clothes they were admitted in?

3. Is there a practice or a policy being pursued by SA Health to prioritise the discharge of elderly patients from our hospital system in order to make beds available?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:48): If the facts are as the honourable member conveys them, it certainly is concerning. All patients, no matter what their age, should be accorded dignity by SA Health in terms of appropriate attire for (a) a journey in a taxi and (b) a commercial flight. I would like to seek further information.

The honourable member in his question referred to whether the lady was ready for medical discharge but in your explanation there wasn't a comment and you didn't highlight that concern. If the honourable member can give me any further information, I am certainly happy to make inquiries. As I said, SA Health aspires to treat all its patients with dignity at all times.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Pangallo has a supplementary.