Nurse Staffing Levels

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (14:32): My question is to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing regarding nurses:

1. Given the recent revelations from the nurses' federation that CALHN planned to cut up to 100 nursing shifts, why was the government considering these cuts to nurses?

2. Was the minister informed of this decision?

3. Can the minister rule out that these cuts will be back on the agenda post the election?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:33): These are the lies and misrepresentations that the South Australian people are constantly subjected to by the Labor opposition. They have repeatedly said that we have cost health staff, and we are not cutting health staff.

Members interjecting:

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: Let's remember that when this—

Members interjecting:

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Order! Do the Hon. Ms Bourke the courtesy of allowing the minister to answer her question.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: The reality is that this government has more than doubled the graduate nurse intake from 600 to 1,200 this year. We have doubled the graduate paramedic intake. In the last year alone, we have added a thousand additional frontline health staff and, in terms of the impact since last election, there are 2,500 more health staff under this government—

Members interjecting:

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: I can't hear the minister.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: —than when we inherited it.

Members interjecting:

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: In relation to the CALHN—

Members interjecting:

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Order! Minister, please continue.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: Thank you, Mr Deputy President. In relation to the reference the honourable member is making to the CALHN surge plan, my understanding is that the CALHN surge plan is a plan to help CALHN deliver nursing care in the COVID-19 pandemic environment.

This is part of not only CALHN's response but all of our health network's response to make sure that we can deliver the 500 dedicated COVID-19 beds if we need them, and that has led CALHN to talk to the unions about opportunities to deliver different models of care. That will mean fewer nursing shifts within those particular wards, but my understanding is this is not about job cuts: this is about making sure that our hospitals can surge to provide the care that South Australians need.