House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-09-27 Daily Xml

Contents

HEALTH DEPARTMENT

86 Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (1 June 2010).

1. How many 'Lifestyle Advisers' have been employed by the Department of Health and how much of the $1.8 million budget has been expended?

2. Has any cost benefit analysis of this activity been undertaken and, if so what was the result in dollar terms?

The Hon. M.D. RANN (Ramsay—Premier, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Social Inclusion, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Sustainability and Climate Change): I am advised:

1. As at 1 June 2011, 17 Lifestyle Advisors are employed across SA Health.

The budget for 2010-11 was approximately $1.942 million and all the funding has been expended.

2. I am advised that the available data does not allow a direct estimate in dollar terms of future cost savings in health care. This is because long-term outcome data is not yet available and also the program addresses multiple chronic diseases through change in multiple risk factors, making estimates too complex to be feasible.