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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2020-09-09 Daily Xml
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Health Services, Adelaide Hills

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (14:31): My question is to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing. Can the minister please update the council on the efforts to improve health services for Adelaide Hills residents?

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! I call the minister.

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:31): I thank the honourable member for his question. The Marshall Liberal government has been working tirelessly to deliver quality health services for South Australians closer to home. An example of the real difference this can make is the recent opening of an ant allergy clinic in Mount Barker at the Summit Health Centre.

The jack jumper ant (or the hopper ant, as it is also known) is common to the Adelaide Hills and surrounding areas. These ants are capable of delivering a painful sting and, unlike other ants but like bees and wasps, they inject venom with their sting. Allergy to hopper ants' venom is the second most common venom allergy in South Australia after bee stings. Unfortunately, some people become allergic to the venom and are at risk of potentially fatal anaphylaxis if they are stung by a jack jumper ant.

I am advised that the Royal Adelaide Hospital, which is part of the Central Adelaide Local Health Network, has previously been the centre of care for hopper ant toxicology, and that hospital is aware of at least 200 people who have suffered from an ant sting anaphylaxis.

It is very difficult for those who live in the Adelaide Hills and surrounding areas to avoid hopper ants and impossible to completely eliminate the risk of being stung. Allergic individuals must carry an EpiPen adrenaline auto injector in case of stings. The reaction to a sting is often severe and requires urgent hospital attention. Sometimes residents who are at risk of life-threatening anaphylaxis move house, at great expense and disruption.

In this regard, I would like to acknowledge the Speaker of the house, the member for Heysen, and the member for Kavel, who have both been very active in advocating for a local ant allergy clinic on behalf of their communities.

The Central Adelaide Local Health Network has until now been the centre of treatment through a highly effective desensitisation treatment, which was developed by the now retired clinical immunologist Professor Robert Heddle. Professor Heddle has a long interest in hopper ant allergy and has produced world-leading research in this area, published in international journals. In collaboration with other specialists based in Tasmania, he has developed treatment for hopper ant allergy, which has been proven to reduce the risk of anaphylaxis to ant stings to a negligible level.

Venom immunotherapy is a long-term commitment requiring weekly injections for the first two months and then ongoing clinical visits every four to 12 weeks for top-up injections for five years or longer. The opening of the designated ant allergy clinic at the Summit Health Centre in Mount Barker will allow this life-saving treatment closer to home and will provide an important health service to this community. It will make it easier for patients to attend appointments, with more than 50 patients now able to access treatment closer to home.

The initial eight-week build-up treatment phase will still need to be completed at the Royal Adelaide but patients can then have the maintenance course in the community rather than travelling to the city. Moving to community-based care will also free up treatment spaces at the Royal Adelaide Hospital for other work, including new patients on hopper ant therapy.

I would like to thank Central Adelaide Local Health Network immunologist, Dr Adriana Le, and her team, for their efforts to provide such an important service closer to where people live.

The PRESIDENT: Before calling the Hon. Mr Parnell, can I wish him a very happy birthday. I understand it is an anniversary of your 21st birthday. I call the Hon. Mr Parnell.

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