Cramped ‘tin shed’ waiting room at RAH ED slammed as ‘appalling’

Those who’ve been inside the “tin shed” outside the RAH have described chaotic and “appalling” scenes.

A cramped “tin shed” serving as the triage centre and waiting room for the $2.4bn Royal Adelaide Hospital’s emergency department is triggering complaints about “appalling Third World” conditions from patients.

The temporary shed in the car park barely has room for new arrivals to queue to be seen, with the desk close to the sliding automatic opening doors.

Family, friends and even patients finding little space inside face waiting outside in the winter weather but are warned they may not hear their name called.

The ramp to the entrance of the RAH ED temporary waiting room.

There is no effort at social distancing for Covid or other infectious diseases.

There are two adjoining transportable metal sheds — one for arrivals and with 34 chairs crammed into a small waiting space, the other with cubicles for examination.

The transportable is being used while the ED waiting room is upgraded in a $2.2m project to improve access and privacy and increase seat numbers from 36 to 48.

On Thursday at 10am — a relatively quiet time — new arrivals faced more than three hours to be seen with an average 196 minute wait.

One patient who needed emergency attention on Monday praised staff “who were friendly, calm and incredibly efficient.” However, Kath Lovell said she had “no words for the appalling conditions under which they had to perform these duties.”

“This transportable is Third World – there was a man lying on the floor. People vomiting, people looking terribly unwell, all crammed into a tiny space,” she said.

“There was not enough space for the patients to sit, so many had to stand outside the small door where people queued and wheelchairs and beds had to be wheeled through. A woman was trying to support a semiconscious lady on her own.”

Ms Lovell, of Stirling, who waited about half an hour for attention to an eye bleed in case it was a stroke, emphasised she was not criticising staff working in the “tin shed” but said at the very least an extra transportable was needed.

The RAH emergency department’s temporary waiting room.

She also noted the small entrance was “chaos” as patients, staff, wheelchairs, barouches and more jostled for space coming and going.

“This is appalling in the modern world,” she said. “Staff must end their shifts feeling absolutely shattered.”

Central Adelaide Local Health Network interim Executive Director, Operations and Performance, Rachael Kay said work should be completed in October.

“Staff closely monitor seating in the ED to ensure people waiting have adequate space. If visitors have concerns we encourage them to raise these with our staff,” she said.

“We thank the community for their understanding while we undertake this upgrade that will enable clinicians to better implement contemporary models of care in the ED.

“The temporary structure includes four triage desks, waiting room seating for 34 people, four private clinical assessment spaces and security infrastructure.”