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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2020-09-09 Daily Xml
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Hospitals, Discharges

The Hon. C. BONAROS (15:08): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Health and Wellbeing a question about hospital discharges for new mums.

Leave granted.

The Hon. C. BONAROS: I was deeply troubled recently on hearing the plight of a young homeless mum who was allegedly discharged from an Adelaide public hospital two days after giving birth without having a place to live. I really hope, genuinely, that this was a simple breakdown of communications—simple albeit completely unacceptable—as I think most people would find it inconceivable that any hospital in South Australia would discharge a young mum from hospital, but especially a homeless mum, without having a safe place for her and her newborn to live. My question to the minister is:

1. Are you aware of the incident that I am referring to, and have you sought further information about it?

2. If so, are the woman in question and her child safe and well?

3. What other advice have you received about the incident and the circumstances surrounding the incident, including knowledge of her homelessness at the time of the alleged discharge from hospital?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (15:09): I thank the honourable member for the question and acknowledge the fact that she has raised this matter with me, and I am in the process of formally responding to that. It was a difficult case because it was raised in the media, shall we say, with a lack of details as to the case. My office and I made inquiries and we believe we may have identified the potential case, but it is only the potential case. This is the information that has been provided to me.

I am informed that this case may well be a vulnerable patient who received care at the Flinders Medical Centre. I am advised that the Southern Adelaide Local Health Network, social work and SALHN maternity outreach services were intensely involved in a particular case and organised supports, including emergency accommodation, paid transport, assessment interviews, baby clothes and other essentials for the consumer. SALHN engaged homeless organisations. SALHN maternity outreach services also visited the consumer at the organised accommodation post-discharge and again two days later, which is part of the appropriate and set protocols.

I have been reassured that SALHN followed the appropriate protocols in supporting and providing care to a vulnerable consumer, but as I said I'm not able to confirm whether this is the person that was referred to on radio.

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