Southern Intermediate Care Centre

In reply to the Hon. S.L. GAME ().29 November 2022).

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector): The Minister for Health and Wellbeing has advised:

The Marshall government closed the Southern Intermediate Care Centre in January 2022.

In the 10 months since we have been in office I have been pushing for the Southern Adelaide Local Health Network to use this facility to provide care to patients rather than having it sit there empty as it has since the Marshall government closed it.

I am pleased that we are now using the building temporarily to provide transitional care for people waiting for NDIS placements.

This will help to free up additional much-needed beds to ease the bed-block which causes ramping.

At the same time, SALHN will be reviewing and updating the model of care to consider the longer term use of the building for care in the southern suburbs.

This will be done in partnership with clinicians—taking a co-designed approach with lived experience, the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist and SALHN—and is expected to take several months.

The Malinauskas government is also delivering a massive 48-bed increase to Noarlunga Hospital—doubling our original commitment, including a new 24-bed mental health rehabilitation ward. This is part of 120 extra mental health beds the government is building across the system.

In relation to Strathalbyn Emergency Department, the Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network (BHFLHN) has commenced working with the Strathalbyn community and key stakeholders through a formal working group to consider options for an urgent care model for the Strathalbyn and surrounding community. The working group includes BHFLHN representatives, community members and local GP's.