Question to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing on the Patient Assistance Transport Scheme

Mr FATCHEN (Mount Gambier) (14:29): My question is to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing. Given South Australia is the only state that does not provide accommodation assistance for the first eligible night for all eligible regional patients, will the minister commit to reviewing the PATS first-night accommodation rule, which currently leaves non-concession cardholders to meet the full cost of that first night?

The Hon. B.I. BOYER (Wright—Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:29): I thank the member for Mount Gambier, not only for this question but also for his interest in the Patient Assistance Transport Scheme. I think he raises a very fair point and I will answer the question specifically around whether or not this government will look at making further changes to PATS, specifically around what we do for that first night of accommodation for eligible people.

I would like to remind the member for Mount Gambier and members of this chamber of the commitments that this government has made around PATS, which are significant and historic boosts which have seen the accommodation subsidy per night go from $44 per patient per night up to $110 per patient per night. If they have with them an escort or someone to support them, per night that goes to $154 which is the most generous accommodation subsidy now in Australia.

The fuel subsidy was indexed as well. In the last term of government we gave a very big increase to the amount that people are able to claim back, keeping in mind that some of the people the member for Mount Gambier himself represents are travelling a lot of kilometres to get access to care that people in metropolitan areas don't have to travel to access. That was increased up to 34.4¢ per kilometre but importantly has also been indexed now, so it will continue to go up, which is a good thing as well.

Another important change that was made in terms of making eligibility for the fuel subsidy broader is that it is eligible now for those who travel over 300 kilometres a week, cumulatively speaking, for renal or oncology treatment. Previously, if you were within the 100 kilometre radius you weren't eligible in any circumstances. Even if collectively across a week you might be going to get renal dialysis and travelling well in excess of 300 kilometres, you still would not be eligible for the fuel subsidy. We have changed that as well which I think has been welcomed.

A number of changes have been made and that has resulted just recently, in fact I think last week, in the Leukaemia Foundation having ranked South Australia first out of all states and territories for accommodation and fuel subsidies, which I think is a really positive thing. But that is not to say that we can't do more, and this is something that I have already started seeking a bit of advice on in my time as minister.

Having done a lot of trips out to the regions, including to the member for Mount Gambier's area, I still get feedback from people who should be beneficiaries of the Patient Assistance Transport Scheme that there are scenarios where I think people in this place, including myself, would reasonably expect them to be able to get access where they can't. In some cases barriers are in place that I think don't need to be there, which would make that application process harder than it should be, particularly for someone who might be battling a really serious illness who shouldn't have to spend all their time filling out paperwork or, in some cases, using a GP appointment and paying a gap to go along and have a GP stamp a form yet again saying they are eligible to get PATS.

So they are some of the things I am looking at. I will also look at the issue that the member for Mount Gambier raises specifically around that first night of accommodation, because I think it probably does affect a number of people who might only be using one night potentially but be using it on a quite regular basis to access care and not be eligible for the new subsidy we have put in place.

To make it clear, this government and my predecessor and the Premier put these changes in place because we want South Australians who do have to travel to access health care to be eligible for this money. So, if there are improvements we can make, I will look at those and will happily work with the member for Mount Gambier on what that might look like.