House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-09-29 Daily Xml

Contents

Ministerial Statement

HOSPITALS

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) (15:05): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.D. HILL: In question time today the member for Morphett asked me a question about a heart patient who was diverted from the Lyell McEwin to the Royal Adelaide Hospital. I have been given advice by my officers. They believe that they have found the heart patient the member referred to, and I am told that a 77-year-old man who was being taken to Lyell McEwin was then diverted to the Royal Adelaide Hospital, not because there was no available space at the Lyell McEwin but because his issues were much more serious than originally thought.

The patient had a ruptured aortic aneurysm and needed specialist care by the RAH cardiac team. He is in the ICU, and he has survived a potentially disastrous event because of the RAH team. I should point out to the house and to all members that patients are taken to the hospital which can provide them with the most likely chances of their survival. The Royal Adelaide Hospital has services that no other hospital has; and, if you need to be in that hospital, you will be taken to that hospital.