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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Second Session (51-2)
2008-07-03 Daily Xml
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INFANT MORTALITY

Ms BREUER (Giles) (14:28): My question is to the Minister for Health. What recent health indicators demonstrate that South Australia's health system is providing better health outcomes, whilst coping with increased demand?

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health, Minister for the Southern Suburbs, Minister Assisting the Premier in the Arts) (14:28): The latest statistics from the annual report of the South Australian birth defects register recently released by the Women's and Children's Hospital indicate a downward trend in the proportion of deaths associated with birth defects in South Australia. The proportion of post neonatal deaths associated with birth defects that occur between 28 days and the first birthday has dropped from the 20-year average of 6.8 per cent from 1986 to 2005 to 3.2 per cent in 2005. In other words, over 20 years (up to 2005), on average, it has been 6.8 per cent; at 2005 it has dropped to 3.2.

The proportion of infants who tragically die before 28 days has declined from a 20-year average of 14.4 per cent to 7.5 per cent. Combined, this represents close to a 50 per cent reduction in the number of deaths associated with birth defects, which is truly an outstanding outcome, as members opposite say.

The South Australia: Our Health and Health Services report, released on Tuesday, demonstrated that across all births nationally, South Australia has the lowest infant mortality rate in the nation. The infant mortality rate in South Australia has decreased from an average of 5.6 deaths per 1,000 live births in 1991-93 to an average of 4.4 deaths in the 2004-06 period. So it has dropped from 5.6 per thousand to 4.4 over that period. Put differently, the average number of infant deaths has dropped from around 111 deaths per year to an average of 79 deaths per year. This means that every year, on average, 32 infants, who would have otherwise died 15 years ago, now survive. These are quite remarkable figures and are a growing endorsement of the South Australian medical system—the doctors, nurses, midwives and others who work within it.

The core function of our public health system, of course, is to preserve life. Our system performs this function exceptionally well and continues to improve year after year. I think, unfortunately, many of us lose sight of these outstanding outcomes when we get frustrated by having to wait a few additional minutes for something such as a service in an emergency department. The overall outcomes of our system are profoundly good.

The extremely high standard of the public health system in this state was also emphasised by the life expectancy figures contained in that report. There has been a steady increase in life expectancy at birth for both men and women over the past 20 years. Between 1984 and 2003-05 the average life expectancy at birth for males increased by 5.2 years, or 7.1 per cent. Female life expectancy started from a higher base and increased at a rate of 4.5 per cent and now stands at 83.4 years. As I think I mentioned a week or so ago, the Australian expected life span now is second only to Japan.

These improving health outcomes have been achieved despite the incredible increased demands placed on our system. Over the last three financial years (and that is year to date May), emergency department attendances have increased by 14.8 per cent, or an average of 4.9 per cent annually. Similarly, we expect that 40,500 elective surgical operations will be performed in this new financial year, which is a 13.8 per cent increase on 2001-02. So, despite the extra pressure—more attendances in emergency, more elective surgery and more work in the system—the outcomes in terms of live births, decreased infant mortality rate and increase in life expectancy demonstrates that our system is working very well, and I congratulate all of those who work within it.

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