Ambulance unions claims ‘frightening shortage’ as ramping hits epic levels

A “frightening shortage” of paramedics struck the city this week, leaving just a handful of responders in the metropolitan area in some periods, the ambulance union says.

Ambulance ramping at metropolitan hospitals was at “epic proportions” on Wednesday and Thursday, creating what the Ambulance Employees’ Association labelled a “frightening shortage” of available paramedics.

AEA secretary Phil Palmer said 31 ambulances were ramped at just the Royal Adelaide Hospital and the Flinders Medical Centre at one point on Thursday, with 20 of those ramped at the RAH.

“Our members have been reporting to us that there were periods where only two or three solo responders were available in the whole metropolitan area,” Mr Palmer said.

AEA secretary Phil Palmer. Picture: AAP Image/Mark Brake

“SA Ambulance and emergency departments are experiencing workloads that have remained at winter-peak highs.

“We are fearful of the coming winter when workloads will climb eve higher and the risks to the community will escalate even more. Lives will be at risk.”

Health Minister Stephen Wade said ambulance services were under strain on Wednesday and Thursday but stressed there was still ample resources to respond to emergencies.

“Ambulance ramping is completely unacceptable. That’s why we’re opening beds,” Mr Wade said.

“The reality will be constantly that surges will come and yesterday there was clearly a surge, particularly at the RAH in the middle of the day.

“But as the health system gets better flow, as we put more beds back into the system we will be able to cope with surges better.”

Labor health spokesman Chris Picton said the temporary closure of 15 beds over Christmas and 26 winter demand beds at the Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre had created “a big hole in a system that was already stretched”.

“At 11.30am (yesterday) we had 79 patients stuck in emergency departments who need to be moved out to a hospital bed. This flows through to ambulances not being able to bring their patients into emergency,” he said.

At 5pm yesterday four hospitals had EDs on Code White (full capacity), including Flinders Medical Centre where 72 patients were being treated in the 53-capacity ED.

The AEA is set to start new pay talks with the State Government this year and says it is launching legal action against SA Health and the SA Ambulance Service over the increased workload.