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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2016-05-25 Daily Xml
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Public Works Committee: Veterans' Mental Health Precinct Transforming Health Project

Ms DIGANCE (Elder) (11:50): I move:

That the 546th report of the committee, entitled Veterans' Mental Health Precinct Transforming Health Project, be noted.

The current Ward 17 was built in the 1940s and is in need of redevelopment to better meet the clinical and social needs of veterans, as well as improve the nursing and caring environment for the medical and associated staff. To consider the current and future veteran mental health needs, the post-traumatic stress disorder expert reference group was established in March 2015. It comprised key stakeholders including veteran representatives, consumers, care and support groups, research and training representatives, and, of course, clinicians from the current Ward 17.

The group considered the advantages and disadvantages of eight possible sites to provide services to meet both clinical and non-clinical needs of current and future veterans. This included the model of care required to cater for the current Ward 17 and post-traumatic stress disorder unit. Following the consideration of these eight sites, the reference group advised the Minister for Health that the Glenside health service precinct was the best fit with respect to all clinical and non-clinical criteria.

The new veterans' mental health precinct will be built on the south-east corner of the Glenside site, on Eucalyptus Drive. It will incorporate the existing intermediate care centre as part of the southern end of the new building, and the heritage-listed old operating theatre building to the north of the new building will form part of the precinct and accommodate the partnerships groups. The cost of this project is $15 million (GST exclusive) and will provide:

inpatient bed accommodation for up to 24 patients in single bed rooms, each with ensuites;

activity rooms, kitchen area and dining facilities for patients;

consulting rooms and interview spaces;

outpatient amenities, including group therapy rooms and gymnasium;

staffrooms and amenities;

provision for teaching and research facilities;

landscaped outdoor spaces, including memorial spaces;

provision for service providers to be located on the site; and

staff and visitor car parking, including provision for disabled consumers.

The facility will provide areas for visitors including appropriate family-friendly areas to allow families and children to visit patients. The new building will also provide reconfigurable space to allow for future needs as well as the flexibility to provide a female-only area, should the need arise.

The larger Glenside precinct incorporates other health facilities, including a mental health and substance abuse hospital and a drug and alcohol outpatient facility. Also located at the precinct is the South Australian Film Corporation and the Adelaide Central School of Art. There is also residential housing and large community and recreational open space in the precinct. The new veterans' mental health precinct will be well suited to the location, complemented by the surrounding facilities and open space.

There has been much interest in this project by veterans. The committee appreciates there are some concerns in the relocation of the facility from its current site at Daw Park to Glenside. Given the consultation and thorough process that has been undertaken by the reference groups and the department to determine the current and likely future needs of veterans, the committee was satisfied that this new facility will meet the requirements of current and future veterans.

However, I draw the attention of the house to the tabling of an accompanying minority report, which is the first I have experienced as Presiding Member of this committee, and I am sure the member for Finniss and/or the member for Chaffey will elaborate on this when they have their turn to speak. I emphasise again that this particular project of the Public Works Committee was unanimously supported, with bipartisan support. I also recognise that in the gallery on the day we had the hearing were some supporters of the Save the Repat group. I spoke with most of those supporters post hearing, and they were supportive of the facility.

Construction work is due to commence later this year, with completion in September 2017. I would like to thank my fellow committee members for their contribution and consideration of the project, and I also thank the committee staff for their work. Given this, and pursuant to section 12C of the Parliamentary Committees Act 1991, the Public Works Committee reports to the parliament that it recommends the proposed public works.

Mr PENGILLY (Finniss) (11:54): I thank the member for Elder for her comments. The member for Chaffey and I took a very active interest in this. The member for Elder did mention the gallery on the day. There are a lot of very, very cranky vets—a lot of them. They are very cranky, and they do not feel as though they have been taken into the fold on this. They feel as though they have been excluded to a large extent. When comments were made, during the meeting, by the delegation at the other end of the table, they shook their heads. They were not consulted, they wanted to know who was consulted, and they are cranky.

They are as cranky as they can possibly be, and rightly so—to the extent that the member for Chaffey and I, and I think one of the government members as well, were having notes passed to us throughout the hearing indicating the discontent amongst the veterans and their wives who attended. At the end of the day, it made for an interesting hearing. We got on with the job and asked a series of questions, and the outcome is: what will be will be. However, we do not necessarily say we are happy with it. I think I will probably close there because I know the member for Chaffey has some comments to make.

Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (11:56): I too rise to acknowledge the Public Works Committee Veterans' Mental Health Precinct Transforming Health Project. It was disappointing. Obviously, the Transforming Health project has put the budget before patients. It is focused on reducing costs, but it has also had a huge impact on what is happening to our veterans, our mental health precinct, and it really has raised a lot of questions.

In brief, yes, the minority report was put forward by the member for Finniss and I. We were not satisfied that the report accurately addressed a number of issues of concern in relation to the project, and nor were we satisfied that the report provided an accurate account on the way the government has progressed this project since it was first announced in February 2015. As a member of the committee, I was disappointed in the government's failure to deliver this redevelopment at the Daw Park site. On the basis of the evidence presented to the Public Works Committee, we have strong concerns that the proposed redevelopment does not meet the government's commitment to ensure that services at Glenside are as good if not better than those at Daw Park.

There were a number of issues, and I am sure the member for Bragg will use some of her valuable time to make comments. One of the issues is that there is no provision to use Australian steel—none. There is a recommendation that people be accredited to Australian standards, but there was no provision. That did raise eyebrows. One of the parts that I was very concerned about was 'unnecessary' care. The report states:

The Government's formal submission to the Committee asserts that the project will allow SA Health to 'improve safety and quality of care to consumers' and that such improvement will be demonstrated, in part, by a reduction in 'unnecessary care'.

There was no proof, no evidence, of whether they could find a reduction in 'unnecessary care'. There are many concerns. I take extreme care in putting in a dissenting report, but sadly it was done for the benefit of those people who are missing out on those services. I acknowledge the report and I still feel a lot of concern about the health services provided at Glenside.

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (11:59): I rise to speak on the Veterans' Mental Health Precinct Transforming Health Project from the Public Works Committee—

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: I just remind you we are nearly at midday.

Ms CHAPMAN: —and disclose that I am a patron of Grow SA and a member of the Defence Reserves Support Council. I seek leave to continue my remarks.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.

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