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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Second Session (51-2)
2008-06-18 Daily Xml
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COUNTRY HEALTH CARE PLAN

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:13): My question is to the Minister for Health. During the consultation that the government undertook to prepare the Country Health Care Plan, did any of the 43 hospitals ask to be GP Plus centres and, if so, which ones?

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health, Minister for the Southern Suburbs, Minister Assisting the Premier in the Arts) (14:13): I thank the Deputy Leader of the Opposition for her question, because it gives me an opportunity to counter the big lie that was part of the question asked by the Leader of the Opposition. Members would remember Goebbels, who established the notion of the big lie back in the 1930s and 1940s: if you say something often enough, people might start to believe it.

The Hon. P.F. Conlon: And big enough—a big enough lie!

The Hon. J.D. HILL: And big enough. A big enough lie, the big lie. So, the first question from the Leader of the Opposition to the Premier, of course, was about closing the 43 hospitals. That is a statement that has been made on a number of occasions now by the opposition. It is a complete fabrication: it is untrue. Now the question from the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, of course, reinforces that, because her question is based on the assumption that those hospitals will remain open as GP Plus health care centres. The question was about consultation. Let me inform the house about the consultation process.

Mrs Redmond interjecting:

The Hon. J.D. HILL: I can't hear a word you are saying, Isobel. Let me inform the house about the consultation process. South Australia's Health Care Plan 2007-2016 was released in June last year and included the commitment from the South Australian government to develop a country health care plan to improve the provision of and access to health services for country residents. The consultation process since that time has included the following—

Mr Williams interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.D. HILL: The member for MacKillop might care to ask me a question, and I would be delighted to answer it. However, I would not like to respond to an interjection, of course, because that would be disorderly. The consultation since that time has included a workshop on 2 August 2007 with local board chairpersons and chief executive officers to begin to explore both the interrelationships of health services and the possibilities of repatriation of activity to country from metropolitan hospitals; and a leadership forum on 4 October 2007 for senior managers from across country South Australia exploring repatriation of services from Adelaide to country from the perspective of differing sized communities.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.D. HILL: Speaking loudly and attempting to drown me out means that members opposite do not want to hear the facts. I would say to people listening to this debate: judge for yourself who is trying to get the message across and who is trying to drown out the message. During November—

Mr Williams interjecting:

The Hon. J.D. HILL: Ask any number of questions you like, member for MacKillop: I would be delighted to answer them in detail. During November 2007, over 100 clinicians from across country South Australia attended a workshop at which participants identified the important factors to be considered in the implementation of the statewide GP Plus health care strategy in country South Australia along with potential inpatient activity at the four general hospitals—Mount Gambier, Berri, Whyalla and Port Lincoln—and also the Centre for Excellence in Aboriginal Health at Port Augusta Hospital.

Consultations with resident specialists, general practitioners and senior health staff were undertaken in Berri, Mount Gambier and Whyalla, including Port Lincoln and Port Augusta services, from late January to February 2008. These sessions provided important insights into the opportunities that the development of the general hospitals provide in better supporting clinicians and services in those areas and some clear indication of the enablers for this development. Local consultation sessions about the GP Plus health care strategy through site visits were organised—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The house will come to order.

The Hon. J.D. HILL: —in collaboration with respective divisions of general practice. Visits took place to Port Pirie and Mid North, Ceduna, Yorke Peninsula, Port Lincoln, South Coast, Adelaide Hills, Riverland, South-East, Goolwa, Murray Bridge, Barossa and Riverland. The visits included Dr Michael Taylor, Kevin Eglinton, Country Health SA, Chris Seiboth, SA Divisions of General Practice, and members of the project team.

A workshop was held with over 70 local board chairs and members, directors and executive directors from across country South Australia, including an update on plan progress, national directions and the transition to health advisory councils on 5 March 2008. A workshop for the statewide clinical network chairs, country representatives on the clinical networks, members of the Country Clinical Governance Committee and country representatives on the clinical senate was held to share information and consider the directions of the plan on 4 April 2008. Country clinicians participated in a range of statewide clinical workshops organised through the Statewide Services Strategy Division. George Beltchev, Chief Executive of Country Health SA, and Dr Nigel Stewart, Chief Consultant, Country Health SA services plan—

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I warn the Deputy Leader of the Opposition.

The Hon. J.D. HILL: —utilised opportunities and regular meeting times to consult with the Rural Doctors Association SA, the Rural Doctors Workforce Agency and the Australian Medical Association SA regarding the Country Health SA services plan, particularly in relation to developing service profiles of general hospitals. The plan is also discussed regularly at the Rural Doctors Liaison Forum which, in addition to the medical agencies identified above, includes the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, the Rural Divisions of General Practice, the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine and South Australian Divisions of General Practice.

Update briefings about the plan were provided at Country Health SA executive meetings, CHSA Board, Services Committee and Clinical Governance Committee. The plan project team included the plan working group, CHSA clinical advisers for medicine, nursing/midwifery and allied health, representatives of the Statewide Services Strategy and Communications sections of the Department of Health and an adviser from the South Australian Ambulance Service.

Nine task groups for the plan were established and contributed overarching principles and a framework for more detailed service descriptions. These included mental health, early childhood, older persons, GP Plus health care strategy, patient journey and transport, workforce, Aboriginal health, infrastructure and dental. A monthly communiqué sent by the board chair of Country Health Services of South Australia includes updates on the planning process.

I know that was long, but I think it is important to demonstrate to the house that there has been extensive and thorough discussion and consultation, and there is more to come. We have extended the period of consultation on this plan to the end of July. I invite all members opposite—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.D. HILL: I invite everybody associated with country health to participate in that consultation process.

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