Michael Forshaw (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I present responses from the Minister for Health and Ageing, Ms Roxon, and the South Australian Minister for Health, Mr Hill, to a resolution of the Senate of 17 November 2009 concerning renal health services.

The responses read as follows—

The Hon John Hogg

President of the Senate

Parliament House

CANBERRA ACT 2600

Dear Senator Hogg

Thank you for your letter of 17 November 2009 to the Premier, Hon Mike Rann MP, about access to renal dialysis. As this matter falls within my portfolio responsibilities, the Premier asked me to respond on his behalf.

I appreciate the opportunity to provide the Senate with information about this issue.

Historically, people from the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands requiring dialysis treatment have been assessed and treated in Alice Springs, as the closest major centre.

The South Australian Government has always, and will continue to pay for the treatment of all South Australian patients from the APY lands who receive renal dialysis in Alice Springs. The cost of their treatment is paid for in full under a long-standing agreement between the South Australian and the Northern Territory Governments. These payments include a contribution towards capital and staffing costs.

South Australian renal dialysis patients who are currently being treated in Alice Springs will continue to receive treatment in the Northern Territory and South Australia will continue to pay for that treatment.

However, since February last year, at the request of the Northern Territory Government, the dialysis services in Alice Springs were ‘closed’ to new patients from South Australia. Newly diagnosed renal dialysis patients residing in the far North will be treated in Port Augusta, Whyalla and Adelaide.

To support the needs of these patients, South Australia has recently boosted its regional renal dialysis services, with a $1.8 million upgrade at Port Augusta Hospital, making it now the largest haemodialysis satellite unit outside of the metropolitan area, treating 35 patients a week.

Additionally, a new $155 000 Renal Dialysis Unit at the Whyalla Hospital has been established, which has two treatment chairs and currently provides dialysis services to eight clients. Until recently, five of the patients were travelling to Port Augusta three times a week to receive dialysis treatment.

I would like to assure the Senate that a key priority for SA Health is closing the 17 year life expectancy gap that exists between Aboriginal and non Aboriginal people. One of SA Health’s four key strategic directions, outlined in the SA Health Strategic Plan 2008 —2010, is to improve the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal people. SA Health is committed to providing access to quality, safe, complete and affordable health care to all South Australians.

Thank you for bringing this matter to the Government’s attention and I trust the above information is of assistance to the Senate.

Yours sincerely

Hon John Hill MP

MINISTER FOR HEALTH

Date 17.1.10

Senator the Hon John Hogg             

President of the Senate

Parliament House

CANBERRA ACT 2600

Dear Mr President

Thank you for your letter of 18 November 2009 regarding the resolution agreed to by the Senate on 17 November 2009, in relation to renal health services in the border regions of Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory.

As Senator Sherry advised the Senate on 25 November, in response to a further motion on this matter by Senator Siewert, dialysis services are predominantly administered by State and Territory Governments. Funding for these services is included with the funding provided by the Australian Government through the Intergovernmental Agreement on Federal Financial Relations. These services are delivered consistent with the terms of the National Healthcare Agreement and under the current arrangements, State and Territory Governments have the authority to determine policy regarding the provision of the services that they operate.

The Government is supporting the Northern Territory Government and the Aboriginal community controlled sector through a range of initiatives directed at Indigenous renal health. Significant funds are provided for renal disease prevention, management and treatment through the Australian Government’s primary care funding, for example, the Medicare Benefits Scheme and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

Regarding dialysis services in the Northern Territory, the Government has provided over $10 million. This includes funding of $5.3 million over five years to:

• increase community-based infrastructure for self-care haemodialysis in remote areas of the Northern Territory;
• develop renal health promotion and education resources;
• pilot a mobile dialysis service in the Northern Territory; and
• increase the capacity of selected Aboriginal Medical Services in the Northern Territory to provide early intervention and better coordinated care to slow the progression of renal disease.

The Government is committed to finding solutions to the dialysis situation in Central

Australia. This includes being flexible in making the facilities supplied through these

initiatives available where they are most needed. For example, on 6 November 2009, the Minister for Indigenous Health, Rural and Regional Health and Regional Services Delivery, the Hon Warren Snowdon MP, agreed to make available a 2 port re-locatable dialysis facility to be used temporarily in Alice Springs until the new 12 port facility becomes available.

Officials from the Northern Territory Government and the Western Australian, South Australian and the Australian Governments are working towards developing a

resolution to the current situation, and on 4 December 2009, an agreement was reached between the three State and Territory Governments to work together to address the needs of current and future renal patients in Central Australia. It has been agreed that the Northern Territory Government would develop a new proposal, in consultation with South Australia and Western Australia, outlining:

• an agreed model of care;
• current and projected health needs; and
• appropriate service development.

I trust that the above information is of assistance.

Yours sincerely

NICOLA ROXON