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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-02-23 Daily Xml
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Public Works Committee: BreastScreen SA Relocation Works

Mr BROWN (Florey) (11:27): I move:

That the 22nd report of the committee, entitled BreastScreen SA Relocation Works, be noted.

The Department for Health and Wellbeing, or SA Health, proposes to relocate BreastScreen SA services to 300 Wakefield Street, Adelaide, which is the former location of Calvary Wakefield Hospital. Since purchasing the site, Pelligra Group has been steadily renovating the premises, with the intention of developing the building as a health precinct.

BreastScreen SA is South Australia's dedicated breast cancer screening program, providing free screening mammograms every two years to women aged over 40. The statewide service screens around 100,000 women each year, aiming to detect breast cancer at an early stage, often before it can be felt. This improves the treatment options and health outcomes for the clients, their families and our community.

BreastScreen SA is jointly funded by the state government and the commonwealth government Department of Health. BreastScreen SA operates within Statewide Clinical Support Services, a branch of the Central Adelaide Local Health Network. There are seven fixed screening clinics in metropolitan Adelaide and three mobile screening units that visit more than 36 rural and outer metropolitan areas.

There is a single centrally located state coordination unit at 167 Flinders Street, Adelaide. Issues relating to moisture penetrating the concrete slab of the coordination unit were identified in late 2020, with various investigative, maintenance and repair works completed to address the issues. During that time, staff expressed concerns about smells and visible corrosion of aluminium frames within the facility.

BreastScreen SA, in conjunction with the Central Adelaide Local Health Network and Spotless services, commissioned environmental consultants to investigate. Their findings identified items that contributed to moisture ingress to the building. Full remediation works would have to be invasive and include removing floor tiles and internal walls to eliminate black mould and installing vapour barriers. It was therefore determined that relocating BreastScreen SA to alternative premises was the best option available.

The expected outcomes of the relocation are to, firstly, lease approximately 2,400 square metres of space at 300 Wakefield Street on a 10-year lease, with two five-year options to renew; secondly, to restore BreastScreen SA's full range of services that were previously delivered at Flinders Street by having functioning, fit-for-purpose consulting rooms; and, thirdly, a return to previous arrangements for clinical services and an end to the cross-pollination of clients in the assessment clinic and results clinic. These outcomes will allow staff currently subject to alternative working arrangements to return to the office and eliminate the risk to staff and clients of exposure to elevated levels of moisture and mould.

The total capital cost, inclusive of fit-out works, equipment purchases and relocation costs, is $8.5 million. Of this, $1.2 million will be contributed by Pelligra Group as a lease incentive, with another $2 million from Pelligra for base building works, and the remaining $5.3 million provided by the state government.

The program of works is being fast-tracked and delivered in a single package. Construction is expected to start early this year and take six to eight months to complete. The relocation to Wakefield Street is in the pre-contract stage, with builders for the respective work packages anticipated to be appointed early this year.

SA Health confirms that engagement and clinical consultation are key themes for the development and implementation of the relocation. This consultation extends to clinical and non-clinical staff, consumer reference groups and industrial bodies. SA Health confirms that consultation and engagement will continue throughout the final stages of design, with key stakeholders to remain informed of the works as they progress through construction and into service readiness. This consultation has included, but is not limited to, staff, including medical officers, nurses and allied health professionals, industry bodies, infection control and hygiene advisers.

SA Health recognises that the provision of a health facility with good environmental qualities is essential to achieving a positive, value-for-money solution and one that will assist in improving user comfort, wellbeing and assist in managing behaviours. The project team have established formal processes to ensure that the ecologically sustainable development strategies are comprehensively and systematically incorporated into the project during all phases.

The committee has examined written and oral evidence in relation to this project. Witnesses who appeared before the committee were Mr Mark Filipowicz, Acting Executive Director of Infrastructure, Department for Health and Wellbeing; Ms Niamh Wade, Program Director at BreastScreen SA; and Ms Necia Mickel, consultant, Walter Brooke and Associates. I thank the witnesses for their time.

Based upon the evidence considered and in pursuant to section 12C of the Parliamentary Committees Act 1991, the Public Works Committee reports to parliament that it recommends the proposed public works.

Ms PRATT (Frome) (11:32): I also rise to speak to this report, and I thank the member for Florey for his opening remarks. Of course, this is the time to note progress on reports and often they can be inane on the surface, but I think this is a report worth investigating a little more. The title, of course, is BreastScreen SA Relocation Works, but my question to the house is: why are they relocating the first place?

The purpose of this report was to examine the proposal from SA Health to relocate the well-credentialled and essential BreastScreen SA services to 300 Wakefield Street. The Public Works Committee report is comprised of an executive summary, and the member for Florey has given us a good insight into the mechanics of the construction of the project, and an attachment is the longest submission. But upon reading the report, one can quickly discover that, going back to March of last year, the Department for Health and Wellbeing did approve this relocation, the purpose of which will soon be uncovered.

BreastScreen SA was identified back in March last year by the department as needing to relocate to an alternative facility, and other locations were scouted, but it was not until August last year—that is, five months later—that the Labor state government cabinet signed off on a state government contribution of $5.3 million.

I did find some discrepancies in reading the report, a difference in costings, between the executive summary and the longer submission to the tune of $2 million, so I concur with the member for Florey that total costings add up to $8.5 million but the longer submission seems to suggest it is only $6.5 million. Nevertheless, government contribution was $5.3 million.

It is patently clear from reading this report that high humidity and moisture penetrating the concrete slab of the current accommodation, the current facility, would contribute to the risk of black mould thereby compromising the health of workers and patients. I also note, going back to May last year, the outstanding health journalism work conducted by Brad Crouch that noted that, to the fury of the Health Services Union, working conditions for staff were unacceptable. In reflecting on information that was available to the government over the course of 2020-22, post election, it was clear that something needed to happen.

The report states that while there were two options to consider only one of them could possibly be recommended. I draw to the house's attention option 2, which was to do nothing, and it certainly was not recommended. It would result in service status quo and as such was not modelled. This option put the health of staff and clients at risk, really meaning that to leave staff and clients at this location is bad for their health—and I note they are still there.

Given that construction is set to start early this year—and 'early this year' means, for those paying attention playing at home, we are one month away from the end of the first quarter and it is going to take the better part of eight months for the completion of this project. Certainly, that is only if there are no delays to this project in relation to the construction industry. I hope that Minister Picton has read page 5 of the executive summary. The member for Florey pointed to this language. It states, 'The program of works is being fast-tracked and delivered in a single package.' In this report, 'fast-tracked' means a 20-month wait.

My sympathies go out to the dedicated staff who, for over a year, have been working in suboptimal conditions. They do that to ensure that patient care is not compromised and, again, they need to sit still for another eight months before their relocation. I am certain they will breathe a deep and clean sigh of relief when that day comes. I welcome the completion of this project for them and their clients.

For those who are not familiar with their services, let me promote the importance of their work in relation to preventative health. Of course, BreastScreen SA is South Australia's dedicated breast cancer screening program, providing free screening mammograms for women who are aged between 50 and 74 every two years. The service sees around 100,000 women each year, and I would encourage women from the age of 40 to make an appointment.

BreastScreen SA has a single, centrally located state coordination unit in Adelaide and there are seven fixed screening clinics in metropolitan Adelaide, with mobile units providing rural support as well. Since opening, BreastScreen SA has performed more than two million screening mammograms—no small number—and contributed to reduced deaths from breast cancer by between 40 and 50 per cent.

I am the member for Frome, of course, and represent a country region, and it pleases me that the service that is available to country women is on constant supply. We will note that the mobile breast screening unit is visiting Berri currently until March, will be in Gawler until the end of March, then will go over to Streaky Bay. They will also have a presence in my town of Clare at the hospital with access via Webb Street. They have also been very busy at Wudinna, Victor Harbor, Cleve and Port Lincoln.

I would also like to use this opportunity to reiterate the importance of access to general practitioners in detecting and preventing cancers and other chronic health issues in our communities. As we know, there is certainly a reduced access to GPs, and that can have a significant impact on the management of chronic health issues such as diabetes, heart disease, arthritis and cancer. These conditions require regular monitoring and medication adjustments, which are typically managed by a primary care provider such as a GP. Reduced access to our GPs leads to an increase in acute systems, in delayed diagnosis, and to poor disease management. We all know that we are seeing an increased presentation to our emergency departments, country and city alike.

Finally, I note that it is a timely opportunity to give recognition to Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. Every year in the month of February, we turn our attention to the insidious disease of ovarian cancer. As it happens, today, 23 February, is Giving Day. That means that all donations to ovarian cancer awareness will be doubled, thanks to the generous matching partners of Ovarian Cancer Australia. These donations are critical to ensuring they can continue providing support programs for people who are impacted by this disease.

I think many members in the house would have a close association with some of the cancers that we are touching on today. Only 31 per cent of Australians know that ovarian cancer has the poorest survival rate of any female cancer in Australia. I would encourage more people to get regular check-ups and to encourage their loved ones to do the same.

I reiterate that I thank the member for Florey for his opening remarks, and I commend this report to the house.

Mr BROWN (Florey) (11:41): I would just like to thank the member for Frome for her contribution, and also commend the report to the house.

Motion carried.

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