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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2022-09-28 Daily Xml
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Schubert Electorate

Mrs HURN (Schubert) (15:49): I rise to speak about the health care within my electorate of Schubert, and I would like to reflect on some of the opportunities I have had over the last couple of months to really engage with members who are really passionate about driving better outcomes for their communities.

In late July, I had the privilege of hosting a well-attended forum in the northern part of the Adelaide Hills, in Gumeracha, at the Soldiers Memorial Hall. I would like to acknowledge your attendance and involvement in that, Mr Speaker, and thank you for your advocacy for better health services in the northern Adelaide Hills.

It is safe to say that the delivery of health services in regional South Australia right across the board is absolutely pivotal. To be able to go out to the community and get a better understanding of some of the challenges they are facing and then being able to bring that back to the parliament or advocate with ministers is so critical.

At the Gumeracha forum in particular one of the biggest problem areas that we were focusing on was of course the Gumeracha emergency department, which is currently, disappointingly, closed. The reason that it was closed was, in the first instance, due to COVID-19, but now we are in a real pickle when it comes to attracting and retaining the workforce that the hospital needs to keep its emergency doors open for people within that area.

On the panel I was so pleased to welcome Dr Geoff Symons from Gumeracha Medical. I was also really pleased to be able to host Joel Taggart, who is a really proud and passionate community advocate on a number of matters not just in relation to the Gumeracha hospital; my friend and colleague and electorate neighbour, Penny Pratt, the member for Frome, who was there in her capacity as shadow minister for regional health; and yourself, Mr Speaker.

I think it was a fruitful meeting. We got to hear more from the local health network about the working group they have established to really kickstart getting that emergency department reopened and fleshing out some of the challenges we are having with workforce. It is safe to say that much more needs to be done. One of the clear challenges or clear barriers we have is in relation to that dreaded Modified Monash Model. It is a federal government boundary that is put on communities and it determines what incentives you can put for attracting workforce.

I was pleased after that meeting to write directly to the federal Minister for Health, Mark Butler. I invited him to undertake an urgent review of the Modified Monash Model, and in particular I encouraged him, and I invited all the decision-makers in relation to the Modified Monash Model, to come to Gumeracha to get an understanding of the challenges that not only our patients but also our paramedics face in getting down the hill to Modbury.

Of course, when you look at where Gumeracha is situated on the map, it is very easy for a bureaucrat to say, 'They are so close to Mount Barker,' or, 'They are so close to Modbury down the hill.' When you take into allowance those practical difficulties of getting down this swerving, winding road and you are in some strife with injury or your loved one is going through a pretty tough time, that is shocking.

That is just one of the reasons why that Modified Monash Model should change. Frankly, I do not think that it can happen soon enough. I would love to see that changed immediately if not sooner. I would like to thank all the people involved in that forum. We will keep advocating for that, and I am sure I say in unison with the Speaker, the member for Kavel, that we will keep working together on that issue.

I also had the privilege of hosting a forum in the Barossa Valley last night to speak about very similar issues in relation to the Barossa Valley hospital, in relation to different mental health services, domestic violence and a whole range of other community-focused services that can provide better health care for our regions because we all know that a strong community is a healthy one. I look forward to working on all those things and delivering better outcomes for the community.

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