CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY EMBARGOED UNTIL DELIVERY
OPENING OF NEW SURGICAL OPERATING SUITES REPATRIATION
GENERAL HOSPITAL DAW PARK
ADELAIDE 1 AUGUST 1985
Senator Gietzelt, Mr Cornwall, representatives of
ex-service organisations, ladies and gentlemen
It gives me considerable pleasure to be here today on
the occasion of the offical opening of the new Daw Park
surgical operating suites.
It is particularly pleasing to be part of such a
wide-ranging gathering with representation from the
ex-service community; the State C'overnment; the
-Flinders Medical Centre and others concerned with the
provision of health and hospital services; the staff of
this hospital and the Department of Veterans' Affairs;
and those who have been involved with the design and
construction of this important and high-standard
facility. The presence of all of you here today is
clear proof that the facilities available and the
services provided at Daw Park have an importance
extending well beyond the ' Teterans community into the
wider Adelaide and South Australian health care network.
The project recently completed here at Daw Park, which
includes the refurbishment of existing wards as well as
the new surgical operating complex, is not unique.
The Australian Labor Government has given a very high
priority to refurbishment and construction work
throughout the Repatriation General Hospital network in
Australia. Spending on Repatriation General Hospitals has increased
by $ 43 million in the past two Budgets. This is in no
small measure due to the persistent advocacy of the
Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Senator Gietzelt.
He quickly alerted the Government to the state of the
repatriation hospitals when he was appointed Minister in
March 1983. He made it clear that years of neglect had
le3t staffing levels inadequate, morale low and the
standard, of equipment and facilities poor.
Senator Gietzelt sought quickly to remedy the problems
and commissioned a review of the Repatriation Hospital
system by a committee led by Doctor Ian Brand. That
committee's report has now been received and its
wide-ranging recommendations warrant, and will receive,
careful consideration by the Minister and the
Government. They will be addressed against the background of the
commitment I gave in the national policy speech before
last year's election " to continue upgrading repatriation
hospitals to meet the needs of an ageing veterans
community." That was a firm, unequivocal pledge and one
which, as you can see here today, we are intent on
implementing. I should like to take this opportunity to clear the air
on one aspect of the Brand Review Report. Contrary to
media suggestions, the Review did not say that
Repatriation Hospitals should be " dumped" on the states.
What the Review observed was the inevitability of
ultimate integration of the Repatriation General
Hospitals with State health systems. Clearly what is
needed is careful planning for any such eventuality.
Integration simply means working closely with the State
system to guarantee the best possible treatment without
duplicating services.
The precise form the integration process will take in
the future is still to be determined. But it will mean
that closer co-ordination and consultation will be
required between State authorities and the Repatriation
General Hospitals. It will also mean, especially with
an ageing veteran population, that a particular effort
shouldbe made to provide services, including hospital
services, closer to home.
That said, I can assure you that there will continue to
be Repatriation Hospitals operating as an important and
visible element in the overall treatment system for
Veterans and war widows for many years to come.
Ladies and gentlemen, my Government is spending more on
Veterans' Affairs than any previous Government. In
fact, in the two and a half years we have been in office
spending on Veterans' Affairs has increased by more than
per cent.
The Government is committed to the care of Veterans and
war widows and that commitment is visible in the
development of the Daw Park surgical facilities.
All South Australians will benefit from this development
because Daw Park is a teaching-hospital associated with
the Flinders University of South Australia and the
Flinders medical Centre.
most of all, it will benefit Veterans and war widows
whose efforts for their country in its hour of need
deserve the best of facilities and services.
I know that many of you have a keen interest in the
Veterans' Entitlement Bill which is now being developed
through a process of intense consultation with all
affected parties. In this regard, I should particularly
like to mention the involvement and invaluable advice
provided by the RSEJ National President, Sir William
Keys. The services of Judge Paul Toose have also been
retained to advise the RSL and other ex-service
organisations. This will assist greatly in preparing a i
bill which will be acceptable to the ex-service
community and to the Government. A good deal of
progress is being made and we can all appreciate that
there is now a constructive and ccoerative approach to
this task.
Ladies and gentlemen, on this important day in the
history of this Repatriation General Hospital, I could
not conclude without expressing my thanks to all
concerned at Daw Park for their work in providing care
to our Veteran community; particularly the visiting
Medical Officers, the Visiting Medical Specialists and
the staff doctors, nurses, allied health
professionals, ward staff, orderlies and domestic
services staff and clinical teams.
The work you do is important and is appreciated not only
by your patients, but by the community at large. I
should expect that the facilities I shall now proceed to
open, will make your task easier and more satisfying.
They certainly add a qualitatively new dimension to this
important hospital. 1.;