Outpatient Services

426 The Hon. B.R. HOOD ().19 February 2025). Can the Minister for Health and Wellbeing advise:

1. Does the minister acknowledge the benefits of a consultant-led model for outpatients in public hospitals and, if so, what does he consider the advantages to be?

2. Is the minister supportive of a consultant-led outpatient model?

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

1. A consultant-led model supports patients who require specialised attention from experienced consultants and supports the professional development of junior healthcare staff. Consultant-led clinics, in collaboration with a multidisciplinary team, work to enhance overall patient outcomes while maintaining the efficiency of our healthcare system.

There are benefits of a consultant-led model for many outpatients in public hospitals, while acknowledging there is opportunity for alternative models of care dependent on the specialist clinic, service demand, and consumer needs. This approach supports sustainable, effective, and high-quality care within our public hospitals.

2. The multidisciplinary approach supports the delivery of the right care, in the right place, at the right time. Access to the right clinician and service type, be it a consultant-led clinic or other highly skilled healthcare professionals and clinic models, such as nurse-led clinics, allied health clinics, and multidisciplinary clinics, is also an important strategy in delivering the right care, in the right place, at the right time.

Consultant-led outpatient models are supported across SA Health, whilst also acknowledging the benefits of a multidisciplinary approach, involving various healthcare professionals working together to provide comprehensive and coordinated care. By integrating the expertise of different specialists, a multidisciplinary team can work to address all aspects of a patient's health care, leading to more holistic and effective care.

These clinic models offer a different range of expertise where patients can access efficient, effective, and holistic care. They provide benefits such as supporting early intervention, coordination of care, and optimising the use of resources to effectively respond to demand and deliver best practice at the right point in a patient's journey. Through providing opportunities for education, learning, and collaboration, utilising the skills of a multidisciplinary teams can create greater capacity in services. Incorporating consultant-led clinics along with other clinic models will support access to clinicians with the right skill set to respond to each patient's healthcare needs.