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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-06-17 Daily Xml
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HEALTH SERVICES

The Hon. P.L. WHITE (Taylor) (14:32): My question is to the Minister for Health. What is the government's plan for improving our public hospitals to provide better care for South Australians?

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health, Minister for the Southern Suburbs, Minister Assisting the Premier in the Arts) (14:32): I thank the member for Taylor for her question. In response to the deputy leader's interjection, we intend to stay in office to implement our plans for a very long time—

The Hon. P.F. Conlon: With your help!

The Hon. J.D. HILL: —with your help. Two years ago the state government released South Australia's Health Care Plan, which was a framework for reforming our health services to ensure that they are sustainable into the future. We know that, as our population ages, demand will increase. We know that by about 2016, for example, the growth in that section of the population aged over 75 will be about 9 or 10 per cent a year. There will be enormous growth in the elderly within our community over the short term, so we need to create extra capacity within our health system. We also need to reduce demand, keeping people out of hospitals by looking after them to make sure that they are well, but we still need to increase capacity, and we are doing that by investing considerable amounts of money into the capital works program.

Since coming to power the government has committed $3.6 billion to capital works programs to deliver improved health services for South Australians. This is made up of $1.7 billion for the new RAH and $1.9 billion on other works. Last week the Premier opened the new linear accelerator at the Lyell McEwin Health Service in our northern suburbs. I was pleased that the member for Little Para was able to be in attendance.

This high-tech machinery will deliver radiation treatment to hundreds of cancer patients in the northern suburbs. I understand that about 400 patients will be able to be looked after on an annual basis. That means they will not have to travel to Adelaide for their treatment. I gather that many people in this category have to travel up to 30 times to receive treatment. For decades, health services in our north have been the poor cousin of the rest of Adelaide, with patients forced to travel to the city for their treatment.

So, recognising the needs of northern Adelaide, this government is setting up the Lyell McEwin as a major tertiary hospital by practically doubling its size as part of a $336 million redevelopment. Meanwhile, in the south, the Flinders Medical Centre is undergoing a $153 million redevelopment, increasing its capacity as well and enabling it to offer more services to that growing region. At the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in the west, the $127 million second stage of the redevelopment is underway, with the third stage in planning to provide that community with a modern general hospital.

As well, modernising works are being planned for Modbury Hospital in the north-east and Noarlunga Hospital in the south. In country South Australia we are redeveloping Berri Hospital, Ceduna Hospital and Whyalla Hospital, as well as doing sustainable works across a number of other hospitals. The linchpin in our strategy is the construction of the new $1.7 billion Royal Adelaide Hospital, which will replace the ageing RAH on its current site.

Last week, invitations for expressions of interest for the new hospital were released, again confirming this government's strong commitment to making sure that South Australians get—

Ms Chapman: How many?

The Hon. J.D. HILL: How many expressions of interest? One expressions of interest document was released.

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The Hon. J.D. HILL: What? If the deputy leader would like to ask me any detailed questions on any of these issues I would be very happy to receive them, but she does not—

The Hon. P.F. Conlon interjecting:

The Hon. J.D. HILL: The TV's gone already. Two questions and they have gone. I am sure it wasn't my answer that did it, was it?

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. J.D. HILL: It helped. Thank you; I will continue. Expressions of interest were released last week, and we are very confident that we will have strong interest in those.

Since the government announced its intention to build the new hospital in 2007, a great deal of work has happened. We have consulted on and developed a master plan and a model of care for the hospital. The new hospital site has also been rezoned for hospital use. The construction of the Dry Creek rail depot has started in preparation for clearing of the West End site, and work is also underway to investigate and remediate the site before construction starts next year. We are on track to have a brand new state-of-the-art 21st century hospital to service Adelaide for the indefinite future built by 2016.

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