Elective surgery abruptly cancelled across Adelaide in the lead up to Easter

Elective surgery has been abruptly cancelled across Adelaide in the run up to Easter as the public health system staggers under the weight of demand.

Elective surgery has been abruptly cancelled across Adelaide in the run up to Easter as the public health system staggers under the weight of demand.

SA Health chief executive Dr Robyn Lawrence announced non-urgent elective surgery will be cancelled as hospitals and the ambulance service grapple with “very high demand.”

She said where appropriate, all non-urgent surgery (Category 2 and 3) in the metropolitan area will be postponed from 12am on Wednesday until 11.59pm on Thursday to free up capacity.

“All surgery deemed to be an emergency or urgent category 1 will continue, as will all pediatric surgeries and IVF procedures,” she said. “Any non-urgent surgeries will require approval on the basis we have enough beds available.”

Patients are being notified to reschedule their procedures. Dr Lawrence forecast “more challenges ahead in the coming days” but was confident they will be met.

It comes as Flinders Medical Centre dumped its “corridor care” trial where patients are put in beds in corridors when the emergency department was full.

The promise to ditch the trial on Tuesday comes after the shocking practice was exposed on Monday.

However, its internal emergency “Code Yellow” status due to high demand which has dragged on for two weeks is expected to continue until after Easter.

The internal ramping – which does not show up on ambulance ramping data – prompted an inspection by the SA Salaried Medical Officers Association on Monday which found patients in beds in corridors after earlier indications such a trial was not proceeding.

Southern Adelaide Local Health Network chief executive Dr Kerrie Freeman says only three beds were used and all were staffed.

However, after complaints from staff and families the corridor care trial has been dumped and “other options” are being explored.

Dr Freeman said: “If there’s a choice between opening up some temporary beds for short periods or not seeing patients, we’ll always choose to see patients.

SALHN chief executive Dr Kerrie Freeman

“Three temporary beds were trialled for a number of days, with very strict criteria about who could be transferred there, and they were occupied for less than 50 per cent of the time.

“When patients were using them, they were staffed appropriately. We are looking forward to our 20 new fast track beds coming online in May to create more capacity.

“We called a Code Yellow to mobilise additional actions to support staff during a period of increased demand. We will reassess the Code Yellow after Easter, which is traditionally a very busy time for our health service.

The Advertiser has previously reported storerooms and other “unconventional spaces” are being used to house patients at FMC.

The hospital gridlock comes as 20 beds are due to open at FMC next month, part of a 160 bed expansion in SALHN in the next two years.

Artist impression of the planned 98-bed tower at Flinders Medical Centre.

Artist impression of a room in the planned 98-bed tower at Flinders Medical Centre.

There also are new plans for a 98-bed tower at FMC expected to open in 2028, but this comes amid an ageing population and record immigration expected to further drive demand for public hospital services.

The new Acute Services Building will have two 32-bed adult inpatient units, an 18-bed day same-day medical unit and a 16-bed intensive care unit.

It will also house a CAT scanner suite, four operating theatres, a 14-bay recovery area, a surgery admissions area and a dedicated floor for the FMC eye surgery clinic.

SA Health has been contacted for a statement.

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