From hospital disasters to ambo improvements, see the report on SA’s state of health

Hospital catastrophes, faster ambo response times, longer waits to see a GP or be assessed for home care packages – a Productivity Commission report on health in SA has it all.

South Australian public hospitals had five catastrophic “sentinel" events resulting in serious injury or death in 2021-22, the latest Productivity Commission figures show.

These were two suicides of people in acute psychiatric wards or units, and three medication errors.

The figures compare to four the previous year — all disastrous medication errors — and five the year before which included two cases of foreign objects being left in patients after a procedure.

The five cases were among the national total of 64, which is down from 82 the previous year.

Interstate sentinel events included one operation on the wrong site of the patient (Victoria), two cases of the wrong procedure or surgery being performed (Victoria) and multiple cases of foreign objects being left in patients — one in NSW, and two each in Victoria and Queensland.

The Commission’s Report on Government Services 2022-2023 — Health — had mixed news for SA.

South Australia recorded the most significant improvements of any jurisdiction in ambulance response times in the past year.

The report released on Wednesday night shows average ambulance response times in metropolitan Adelaide improved 22 per cent under Labor’s first year in government with SA Ambulance Service responding to 90 per cent of all incidents within 55.6 minutes, compared to 71.3 minutes the year before.

This was despite SAAS receiving 3.1 per cent more triple 0 calls.

Ambulances at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Picture: NCA NewsWire

The report also shows the state government increased investment in SAAS with $109.9m in additional government funding in 2022-23, while the previous Liberal Government cut funding to SAAS by $13m in its first two years.

SA experienced the highest rate in the nation of people waiting 24 hours or more for a GP appointment for urgent medical care – 55.8 per cent in 2022-23, up from 45 per cent in 2021-22.

This is the first time the majority of South Australians who need urgent GP care have been waiting more than 24 hours.

South Australian public hospitals had five catastrophic “sentinel" events resulting in serious injury or death in 2021-22. Picture: iStock

South Australians also wait the longest in the country to receive a home care package following Aged Care Assessment Team approval.

Health Minister Chris Picton welcomed the report confirming improvements in ambulance response times.

“Now, thanks to the investments the Malinauskas Labor Government has made, there’s a two in three chance the ambulance will arrive on time,” he said.

“This year we will open more than 150 inpatient beds across our hospitals to further improve patient flow.

“We are flat out rebuilding the health system – hiring the ambos, doctors, nurses and building the critical infrastructure needed across the health system.”

Mr Picton noted the report spells out clearly the impact the shortage of GPs and aged care has on the public health system.

“When people can’t get access to a GP, many of them will get sicker and need emergency care,” he said.

“When people can’t get access to an aged care bed, many of them will get stuck in hospital and it means it isn’t available for the next patient who needs it.”

Opposition health spokeswoman Ashton Hurn sid the report showed less than half of South Australians who go to an ED are seen within target times.

“The productivity report actually shows that only 44 per cent of patients are seen on time and that’s actually the worst in the nation, we are the worst in every single jurisdiction and that’s going backwards,” she said.

“I think that’s just another way of highlighting the stress we are facing in the health system.”