SA Libs on offensive over health reforms

If you're at home and start to feel dizzy, should you call an ambulance?

With hospital reforms under scrutiny in South Australia, the opposition tested the health minister's medical expertise during question time on Wednesday.

Opposition Leader Steven Marshall honed in on confusion over plans to divert patients with life-threatening conditions from local hospitals to three emergency "super-sites".

Taking an unorthodox approach, he asked Health Minister Jack Snelling if he knew how to identify a stroke.

"I'm barely qualified to cut my own toenails," a bemused Mr Snelling responded.

"Fortunately, it's not up to the health minister in this state to diagnose strokes."

Dizziness was a common stroke symptom, Mr Marshall helpfully noted. So shouldn't you call an ambulance every time you feel light-headed?

Mr Snelling was unimpressed. The opposition leader was being foolish, he complained.

The Liberals' strident criticism of the Transforming Health reforms has been echoed by some doctors, who have warned that lives could be lost if emergency treatment is centralised.

Confusing the public about where to seek help was a dangerous step, the Australian Medical Association said in its submission to the government.

Mr Marshall demanded to know whether the health minister would step down if preventable deaths occurred as a result of his reforms.

"That's just a stupid question," Mr Snelling said angrily.

"We already have 500 more deaths in SA every year than comparable states. That is a problem that needs to be fixed and that is something Transforming Health is seeking to correct."

The government earlier on Wednesday outlined plans to spend more than $250 million on upgrades to Adelaide hospitals, including more than 80 new rehabilitation beds.