Patients at Flinders Medical Centre forced to sleep in corridors as overcrowding crisis worsens
One of the state’s biggest hospitals has set up beds in corridors as it continues to struggle with overcrowding.
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One of the state’s biggest hospitals has set up beds in corridors as it continues to struggle with overcrowding.
Bernadette Mulholland from the South Australian Salaried Medical Officers Association told 9News beds had been set up in the corridors of the Flinders Medical Centre to cope with the increasing demand.
“It is a real concern to clinicians who will not have line of sight over these patients,” she said.
“It’s been a really difficult time for patients who have been coming into the emergency department wanting care in a timely manner.”
It comes as a man spoke out over concerns mother was left waiting for more than two hours in the FMC Emergency Department
The man, who gave his name as Jake, told 9News his mother was taken to Flinders Medical Centre after she collapsed in a supermarket.
He said it was a “stressful” situation.
“You just want an answer,” he said.
Southern Adelaide Local Health Network chief executive professor Kerrie Freeman said she “couldn’t be more proud” on the staff at the hospital and how they are continuing to work despite challenges.
“We know that people waiting for care is a symptom of a much larger issue, with bed shortages a key part of that,” she said.
“While the sickest patients are always treated first, new beds cannot come fast enough for our health network.
“We will continue taking a proactive approach to managing times of high demand for patients and staff.
People can be confident that we will continue to provide safe, quality care even when demand for services is high.”
Ms Freeman said the 20 fast-track beds at Flinders Medical Centre are almost complete with another ten beds set to open in the Margaret Tobin Centre and another 32 in the Repat by the end of the year.
“This will bring some much-needed relief for our staff and patients, enabling us to provide more timely access to care,” she said.
This comes a day after designs were released for a new seven-storey, 98-bed building for Flinders Medical Centre.
The new Acute Services Building, which is expected to open in 2028, will become the new main entrance for the hospital.
It will have two 32-bed adult inpatient units, an 18-bed day same-day medical unit and a 16-bed intensive care unit and supporting CT scanner suite.
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