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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-05-18 Daily Xml
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HEALTH SERVICES, NORTH-EASTERN SUBURBS

Ms BEDFORD (Florey) (14:46): My question is to the Minister for Health. Can the minister update the house about improvements to health services in the north-eastern suburbs of Adelaide?

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Southern Suburbs, Minister Assisting the Premier in the Arts) (14:46): Thank you, Madam Speaker, and I thank the—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Minister for Health.

The Hon. J.D. HILL: I am trying, Madam Speaker.

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Bragg, you are warned.

The Hon. J.D. HILL: I thank the member for Florey for her question, and I acknowledge her very strong advocacy for her constituents, particularly regarding the Modbury Hospital which is in her electorate. Since the release of the SA Health Care Plan in 2007, which guaranteed the future of Modbury Hospital as one of Adelaide's general hospitals with a 24-hour emergency department, the member for Florey, I can inform the house, has written to me 114 times. That is not quite as many times as the member for Fisher, but it is well up there at 114 times, that is to say, more than once a fortnight, and that includes 47 letters in relation to the Modbury Hospital on behalf of her constituents. In addition to this formal correspondence, the member and her office are in constant—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.D. HILL: The member for Florey is a very strong advocate for her constituents and their interests. If I judged the merits of the case, I would like to go through the files—

An honourable member interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.D. HILL: Things must be perfect in your electorate because I don't seem to recall any letters from you in recent months or years, but that is another point, so don't reflect on the member for Florey. Just be aware that the member for Florey is a very strong advocate for her constituency, and I know she has been accused in other places of not being so. She has contacted me many times. She is a very strong advocate for her community.

She has particularly taken an interest in ensuring that new mothers in the north-eastern suburbs are well served, with antenatal and post-natal care continuing to be offered at Modbury, while delivery, of course, is undertaken at a state-of-the-art maternity service at the Lyell McEwin or Women's and Children's, if women in that area choose to go there.

I am also delighted to announce today that the state government will invest more than $5.9 million this financial year to undertake 14 projects at Modbury Hospital. This funding is part of a $12 million allocation over six years announced in the 2007-08 budget for minor works at Modbury such as plumbing, air conditioning, hot water, energy efficiency, sewerage and asbestos remediation.

The 14 projects being announced today include: replacement of automated control systems to provide better cooling and heating, reduce energy consumption and provide alarm and plant monitoring; a new generator to provide additional essential emergency power to the hospital; installation of solar assistance systems to provide at least 60 per cent solar contribution for the generation of domestic hot water; and maximising capture of rainwater and making use of the water to save mains water. We are not only investing in new infrastructure for the hospital but also making sure it has a very green focus.

In addition, the government is funding a $46 million redevelopment at the hospital and the development of a master plan for this is nearing completion. This significant project will include a major redevelopment of the hospital's emergency department, with 25 new treatment cubicles, 36 new single rooms for rehabilitation and also a new rehabilitation centre. We anticipate that building works will start later this year and be finished in 2013.

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Bragg!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: The Modbury Hospital is part—

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, the member for Bragg!

The Hon. J.D. HILL: The Modbury Hospital project is part of this government's commitment to rebuild or redevelop every single Adelaide hospital plus the majority of the major country hospitals as well. That is in addition to building a brand-new Royal Adelaide Hospital in the city of Adelaide.

Modbury Hospital has a very strong future under this government. As members would know, we brought it back from the private sector. It had been privatised by the other side and we brought it back into the public sector. This government and South Australia's Health Care Plan are guiding the provision of health services in our state. The hospital is being developed as a general hospital with a 24-hour emergency department and a very strong elective surgery focus. In fact, I think in the last year about 15 per cent more elective surgical procedures occurred at that hospital.

We know that 60 per cent of patients who visit the hospital are over the age of 65, and that number is projected to increase significantly over the next decade as that part of our population in those north-eastern suburbs ages. That is why the provision of acute geriatric medical services, rehabilitation services and palliative care will be such an important part of the hospital's future.

Alongside these developments, the $25 million Modbury GP Plus Super Clinic, which is a partnership between our state and the federal government, will provide primary healthcare services in that community. The Modbury clinic will operate from two sites, at 77 Smart Road, Modbury, and Gilles Crescent, Hillcrest. Some services, including GP services, I am pleased to say, are already running from the Modbury site. The Hillcrest clinic will be opened later this year. The Modbury GP Plus Super Clinic will provide a comprehensive range of healthcare services to help the local community to stay healthy and to manage their chronic health conditions.

Services there will include intervention and prevention, chronic disease management, counselling, general practice, public dental services, nursing and allied health, and specialist clinical services, such as diabetes, wound, heart failure, respiratory and orthopaedic. These significant investments in healthcare facilities in the northern suburbs will help us better care for people in that community. I think the member for Florey can be pleased about those achievements, and I acknowledge that she has organised—and other members as well—

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Bragg!

The Hon. J.D. HILL: She just interrupts all the time, Madam Speaker. She is a very naughty member of this place. The member for Florey should be pleased, and I acknowledge that she and the member for Newland are having a public meeting to discuss this issue this weekend.

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