House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2015-02-12 Daily Xml

Contents

Health Review

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:58): My question is to the Minister for Health. Can the minister confirm that rehabilitation patients at St Margarets Hospital will be moved to the Hampstead centre as early as next week, ahead of the completion date for consultation on the Transforming Health report?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries) (14:58): I can, because this is a separate decision that was made last year as a result of extensive consultation both with staff there and consumers. This is something that has been long anticipated. St Margarets will be used for care of patients who we have in our acute hospital system who are only there because they are waiting for an aged-care place. That will be the new purpose of St Margarets. But this has been part of the Central Adelaide Local Health Network planning for, I think, roughly 12 months, so there is nothing new.

The SPEAKER: Arising from before the leader's last question, I warned the deputy leader and, apparently, I warned the member for Schubert a second time when I had not warned him a first time, so I withdraw the second warning.

The Hon. T.R. Kenyon: A fair punishment for what he got away with last time, sir.

The SPEAKER: There is that, as the member for Newland says. The member for Elder.