A BETTER HEALTH SYSTEM FOR SOUTH AUSTRALIANS

The Malinauskas Government is continuing its record investment in health care for South Australians, investing an additional $2.3 billion in new health initiatives over the forward estimates to meet demand pressures, ease pressure on hospitals and address ramping.

Since its election the government has now committed an additional $4.4 billion of operating funding into South Australia’s health system compared to the position left by the previous Liberal Government.

This extra funding includes an additional $1.3 billion over five years to meet activity demand pressures and to ensure our health system is appropriately resourced to deliver the necessary services to South Australians now and into the future, and $567 million over four years to support SA Health as it transitions from the height of the pandemic response to a ‘living with COVID’ framework.

The 2023-24 State Budget also includes an extra $200 million over five years on initiatives to provide better health care, including:

• $27.6 million over four years for additional doctors, physios, pharmacists, and other staff to work on weekends at major metropolitan hospitals, ensuring patients can be discharged 7 days a week, freeing up beds for incoming patients;
• $2.1 million in 2023-24 to fit out and establish emergency department “avoidance hubs” in the north and western suburbs, based on the existing Hospital Avoidance and Supported Discharge service in Sefton Park and the Complex and Restorative service in the southern suburbs which provide alternate treatment pathways;
• $67.8 million over five years to expand the adult SA Virtual Care Service which aims to reduce the number of people arriving at emergency departments by giving them access to senior doctors, nurses and paramedics through the use of technology;
• $30.8 million over four years to permanently extend the Child and Adolescent

Virtual Urgent Care Service run by the Women’s and Children’s Health Network to connect patients with highly skilled emergency doctors and nurses who can assess and provide medical advice for children, aged between 6 months and 18 years;

• $31.5 million over five years to upscale the operations of the State Health Control

Centre to full capability, providing whole of system oversight and enhancing connection and coordination of resources to improve patient flow management;

• $17.6 million over five years to help long stay patients who no longer require acute hospital care to leave hospital, by providing support such as short‐term services, equipment hire and minor home modifications;
• $22.3 million over five years to continue operating 24 beds at Regency Green providing transitional accommodation for NDIS patients who no longer need acute medical care, allowing them to be discharged from hospital sooner;

More than $20 million will be provided over two years to upgrade the Paediatric

Intensive Care Unit at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital. This will ensure the North Adelaide facility can continue to deliver high quality care while the new hospital is being built.

There is also an additional $20 million over three years to support the delivery of the four new ambulance stations at Norwood, Woodville, Golden Grove and Edwardstown and the complete rebuild of existing stations at Campbelltown, Mount Barker, Gawler and Victor Harbor.

The budget continues to provide cost of living relief for hard working public hospital workers, allowing $56.4 million in reduced revenue over five years to provide metropolitan based staff and contractors with cheaper carparking and free public transport.

There is also:

• $15 million over three years to establish a Cancer Genomics Laboratory as part of the Australian Cancer Research Foundation Cancer Genomics Facility, and
• $8.7 million over four years to continue the valuable work of the adult safeguarding unit for vulnerable adults who may be experiencing abuse.

The Government is also investing more than $132.9 million in regional health, including:

• An additional $100.8 million over two years to ensure the new Mount Barker Hospital is delivered in line with our election commitment;
• $31.1 million over three years to extend and deploy the Electronic Medical Record program across all regional Local Health Network hospitals to create a consistent statewide system;
• $1 million in 2023-24 to undertake a planning study for the delivery of health services in the Naracoorte region;
• Additional funding for the complete rebuild of ambulance stations at Mount Barker,