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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-06-23 Daily Xml
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FLINDERS MEDICAL CENTRE

Mrs REDMOND (Heysen—Leader of the Opposition) (14:40): My question is again to the Minister for Health. Does the minister think it is acceptable to use treatment rooms at the Flinders Medical Centre that have no windows and no toilet or bathroom for patients who need ward accommodation?

An honourable member: Good question.

The SPEAKER: Order! The Minister for Health.

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) (14:40): This is an interesting thing. I'd like to know what the Liberal Party's policy is on how to create extra capacity in our healthcare system.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.D. HILL: Apparently, they read the editorial the other day and they are going to come out with some exciting new policies in the future. We're waiting to hear. I know there's a—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.D. HILL: —policy that members of the opposition have, and it doesn't involve a future for the current Leader of the Opposition. I am advised that hospitals from time to—

Mr Marshall: Mark it in your calendar.

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Norwood!

The Hon. K.O. Foley interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, members on my right also, Minister for Defence Industries!

The Hon. J.D. HILL: Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. The member for Norwood has such an angry face, it scares people. The advice I have in relation to treatment rooms is that treatment rooms can be used for overnight stays, if required, when the number of beds has to be flexed up, and that's what the hospitals—

Mr Williams: So we were right.

The Hon. J.D. HILL: I didn't deny it.

The SPEAKER: Order, member for MacKillop!

The Hon. J.D. HILL: A revelation by the member. They place one bed in the room, usually overnight, and it is common practice in many hospitals. They have a policy on the use of the rooms and sometimes use treatment rooms for dying patients, in particular, to provide them and their families with privacy because we don't at the moment, of course, have single rooms in our hospitals. That's our policy—to have single rooms, a policy that the other side hasn't adopted and opposed, as I understand it. The rooms that they are referring to are on wards and are usually used for minor procedures, such as wound dressing.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.D. HILL: They are not large, but they are comfortable and sufficient for a single room. I make the point, and I make no apology for the fact—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.D. HILL: —we will use the capacity we have to look after patients. I'm not sure what the opposition would do. They would throw them out into the street, presumably, unless they could pay because their approach would be privatisation of our healthcare system. That's what they did in government, and that's what they keep advocating for now that they are in opposition.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! I warn members that if they persistently disobey my directions they may not be given the opportunity to ask their questions.

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