Question to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing on the Limestone Coast Local Health Network

Mr FATCHEN (Mount Gambier) (14:41): My question is to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing. Can the minister advise who is currently overseeing the role of Chief Executive Officer of the Limestone Coast Local Health Network following Emma Poland's departure on 2 October and when the community can expect a permanent appointment to be made?

The Hon. B.I. BOYER (Wright—Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:42): I thank the member for Mount Gambier for the question. It is an opportunity that I am grateful to have to speak about not only the process that will occur from here in terms of finding a permanent chief executive for the Limestone Coast Local Health Network but also an opportunity to thank Emma Poland, the outgoing chief executive, for what I think was a very impressive performance. I know my predecessor, the member for Kaurna, would agree with me on that.

There has been some excellent investment in the Limestone Coast Local Health Network across Emma's tenure. I was sad to hear when she called to say that she would be stepping down from the role, but I wish her well in whatever comes next. There was a process that was put in place upon Emma announcing that she would no longer be in the chief executive role, and that was a decision that she made herself. An acting role was advertised for six months. Applications for that role were received, and interviews were conducted.

Ultimately, a panel selected the person they thought was the most appropriate to fill in for that role for a six-month period, and that is Kylie Williams, who will be known to some people in this place because she has been the Executive Director of Operations at the Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network for a number of years, is very experienced and, I think, really knows her stuff. She put her hand up and was keen to do the role. The panel selected her for a six-month period.

The process is now underway, a national recruitment, to see who might put their hand up and be chosen to fill Emma's shoes on a permanent basis. I know there will be a lot of interest not just from the member for Mount Gambier but from the whole Limestone Coast Local Health Network area about who that will be.

I just want to finish by pointing out some of the achievements that I think Emma Poland and her team should be rightly proud of that they have delivered in their time. There was the $24 million upgrade of the Mount Gambier and Districts Health Service, which included a cancer care centre, the region's first drug and alcohol withdrawal inpatient beds, an emergency department short stay unit and a mental health service to provide mental health subacute and rehab care. I was lucky enough, early in my time of being the minister, to travel down there. I saw the member and got to tour these facilities. They are fantastic and will make a huge difference, I think, to the kind of care that people can actually get close to home in the Limestone Coast area.

There was also a redevelopment of the Naracoorte Health Service, which was announced by my predecessor, the member for Kaurna, a $9 million upgrade to that hospital. That includes a resuscitation room, three-bed high observation bays, consulting rooms, an upgrade to the patient waiting area and sterile store areas as well. They are just a few of the things that have been achieved by Emma and the Limestone Coast Local Health Network in conjunction with this government over the last 4½ years. I certainly hope that whoever comes to fill that role, once the recruitment process is complete, is able to continue that high standard of work that we have seen in the Limestone Coast area.

I make my commitment to the member for Mount Gambier to keep him informed of that process as it goes on. Of course, I am sure, if he has not done so already, he will be meeting with Kylie Williams, the acting chief executive, to talk about his priorities. We have had many discussions about radiation therapy in the Limestone Coast area, which is something I know we are both keen to pursue.