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Legislative Council - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2017-10-18 Daily Xml
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Question Time

Transforming Health

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (14:19): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Health in relation to respiratory services in the Central Adelaide Local Health Network. Two weeks ago today, the staff of the thoracic medicine department of the Royal Adelaide Hospital wrote to the minister seeking urgent action to address a litany of patient care and safety risks from the Royal Adelaide Hospital services being split over two sites at opposite ends of North Terrace. On 28 September in this place, the minister reiterated the Premier's commitment to retain respiratory services at TQEH. My questions are:

1. What action has been taken to resolve the urgent issues raised with him two weeks ago?

2. When will the thoracic department at the Royal Adelaide Hospital again operate from a co-located site?

3. Will the minister guarantee that the inpatient respiratory service at TQEH will stay at TQEH with no reduction in beds?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse) (14:21): Thank you to the honourable member for the question. Let me start with the first part of the honourable member's question in regard to respiratory services and their location. My advice is that the CEO of the Central Adelaide Local Health Network is in active discussions with representatives of that respiratory service with the view and the object of trying to find an alternative location for them to be able to work out of that is closer to the new Royal Adelaide Hospital or ideally immediately adjacent to it. That process is well and truly in train, and work remains ongoing in the area. I received an update on that only two days ago. I understand that we are getting closer to a resolution, albeit that sooner rather than later would be a good outcome.

In respect of The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, the Premier has made a very clear commitment—that was made back in June—that the government would be retaining cardiac services but also oncology and respiratory services at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The government has made that commitment. It will honour that commitment and is in the process at the moment of putting in place an implementation plan to make sure that is realised.

We understand the importance of providing high-quality healthcare services to the western suburbs. That's why this government of course is not just stopping there. What we are also doing is allocating $250 million of new money in this budget. That's on top of the $20 million that was already allocated to The Queen Elizabeth Hospital to ensure that it can continue to be the iconic institution it is in the western suburbs, not just delivering a high standard of service but also doing it in world-class facilities.

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