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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2010-06-29 Daily Xml
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DISABLED INPATIENTS

The Hon. K.L. VINCENT (14:55): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for State/Local Government Relations, representing the Minister for Health and the Minister for Disability, a question regarding inpatients at state government health facilities who are medically fit for discharge.

Leave granted.

The Hon. K.L. VINCENT: Over the past few weeks my office has been in contact with a number of people who have remained in hospital whilst waiting for support packages from Disability SA or SA Health, despite being medically fit for discharge. As reported in the Sunday Mail last weekend, a man with a mild intellectual disability has been waiting since 27 April to go home from Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre but cannot leave until a mere three hours a week of support is provided. Not only has this man's mental health and wellbeing deteriorated but his hospitalisation is costing the state $5,600 a week, when all that is needed for him to go home is less than $150 a week to cover three hours of in-home support.

It is clear that this man is not an isolated case, as we are also aware of a gentleman with multiple disabilities who has been in the Royal Adelaide Hospital for more than six months. He occupies an acute hospital bed and, as such, is exposed to infection risk and ever decreasing social and mental stimulation. His world is shrinking and he is essentially confined to his room. This man has also been waiting many months for appropriate support and services from Disability SA.

I have since learnt that the Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre has a list, known as the 100-day waiting list, which lists patients who have been medically ready for discharge for at least 100 days but who are stuck waiting for the provision of services from Disability SA or SA Health. My questions are:

1. As of today, how many inpatients in state government health facilities are ready for discharge but are waiting for the provision of funding from Disability SA or SA Health, and how much will it cost the state to clear these respective waiting lists by providing appropriate accommodation, support and services to these people?

2. Over the past 12 months what is the total number of hospital days that people with disabilities have waited in hospital pending Disability SA or SA Health support, despite approved discharge orders?

3. What steps is the government taking to address the issue of people waiting in hospitals for funding from Disability SA or SA Health?

4. Which other inpatient health facilities in South Australia have lists similar to the 100-day waiting list at Hampstead, how many people are on these lists and for what services?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister for the City of Adelaide) (14:58): I thank the honourable member for her most important questions. I understand that she has written to the relevant ministers in relation to at least some of these matters, and I am advised that the minister has received that correspondence and is formulating a response to it. However, in the meantime I am pleased to refer those questions to the relevant ministers in another place and bring back a response.

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