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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2024-04-30 Daily Xml
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Question Time

Mount Gambier Hospital

Mr BELL (Mount Gambier) (14:28): My question is to the Minister for Health. Can the minister inform the house on any update on the operational procedures of the Mount Gambier hospital due to recent flooding? With your leave, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Mr BELL: On Saturday 10 March there was significant flooding due to a burst pipe at the Mount Gambier hospital. I am wondering, on our community's behalf, whether operational services have returned to full display, and whether there has been any backlog that has been addressed?

The Hon. C.J. PICTON (Kaurna—Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:29): Thank you very much to the member for Mount Gambier for his question, and his passion and advocacy on behalf of healthcare services in the Mount Gambier region. Yes, as the member referred to, there was a significant flooding event that happened inside the hospital due to a burst pipe last month. That was of significant concern to us at the time, and I spoke to the member for Mount Gambier when that happened to alert him that this had occurred.

This was very rapidly addressed by the team at the Mount Gambier hospital to make sure that the facilities could come back online as soon as possible. There was some very quick work that enabled critical services to be able to continue. When the flooding first appeared, it looked as though there would be very significant impacts in terms of the number of operations for the foreseeable future; luckily, that was not the case.

I have some latest advice for the member. The pipe burst that resulted in flooding impacted the surgical ward and nearby corridors. There was a prompt emergency services attendance, and several off-duty staff came in to assist the immediate clean-up. Since the incident, the Limestone Coast Local Health Network have progressively worked through addressing the impacted areas, which did result in some closures of walkways for resurfacing and carpeting. The surgical ward was down from the incident from the Saturday afternoon until the following week; it was then back and operational within seven days.

The Limestone Coast Local Health Network had a hygienist come on and test the area to ensure it is compliant and there are no lingering issues for the infrastructure or air qualities. I am advised that the majority of the rectification works are now complete—around 90 per cent of the works that need to be done, with the full return of services. There have been minimal postponements that have had to be addressed.

This is a very positive response not only by the emergency services but by the Limestone Coast Local Health Network that has resulted in very minimal impacts in terms of patient outcome. Obviously, the Limestone Coast Local Health Network will be looking into the causes of that to try to make sure that there is not a repeat of that sort of incident. We are very thankful for the way that it has worked out, and I thank the member for his concern.

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