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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-05-25 Daily Xml
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WellBeing SA

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS (14:58): My question is to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing. Will the minister update the council on the government's efforts to improve the health and wellbeing of South Australians?

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! I warn the opposition they will lose a primary question. The minister has the call.

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:58): I thank the honourable member for his question. The Marshall Liberal government is committed to improving the physical, mental and social wellbeing of all South Australians. Following the McCann review, the former Labor government took millions of dollars out of preventive health programs. The Marshall Liberal team, from opposition—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: —recognised the importance of preventive health. Preventing health problems is better—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: —both in terms of health outcomes and in terms of sustainability of health services. The Marshall Liberal team made a number of clear commitments and we are delivering on them.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. E.S. Bourke interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order, the Hon. Ms Bourke!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: In January 2020, we established WellBeing SA to lead the renewed focus on prevention and health promotion. We have released the WellBeing SA strategic plan, which establishes the goal for WellBeing SA—

The Hon. J.E. Hanson interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Hanson is out of order.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: —to lead the system change required to support health and wellbeing and embed prevention across the life force.

The Hon. J.E. Hanson interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Hanson!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: One of the priority actions under the plan is the expansion of Get Healthy, which is a free, confidential, telephone-based coaching service for all South Australians. As part of our commitment to improve the health and wellbeing of South Australia's population, the state government has committed an additional $1 million to boost the Get Healthy program.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: This contribution will help around 800 South Australians—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! I can't hear the minister.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: —access this evidence-based free telephone coaching each year.

The Hon. I.K. Hunter interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Hunter!

The Hon. I.K. Hunter interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: Get Healthy offers support to assist participants to eat more healthily, increase physical activity, manage weight and reduce alcohol consumption. There is also a Get Healthy in Pregnancy module to support pregnant women to achieve a healthy weight gain through their pregnancy. Participants work with their trained coach, who is either a qualified nurse or an allied nurse professional, over a six-month period. Coaches provide expert and tailored advice to identify goals—

The Hon. I.K. Hunter interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: —plan actions and manage barriers to motivation and success.

The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: Coaches can help people make changes to their eating and activity habits and to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. An SMS follow-up service is also available at the completion of the program.

Get Healthy is suitable for a variety of clients, whether to reduce risk for the development of chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some cancers, or to support the recovery from illness or ongoing management of health problems. Based on initial screening, some participants may be referred to the type 2 diabetes prevention or alcohol reduction brief intervention modules.

The Marshall Liberal government is committed to evidence-based programs. What the evidence shows is that, on average, participants in Get Healthy lose almost three kilograms and around 3.4 centimetres off their waist circumference over the life of their involvement in the Get Healthy program.

The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: For each kilo lost, the risk of developing diabetes can be reduced by 16 per cent. The Marshall Liberal government is committed to reversing the damage inflicted by the former Labor government on our health system—

The Hon. I.K. Hunter interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: —while they gouged out funding from preventive health initiatives.

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