Patrick Dangerfield ramped in ambulance at RAH despite serious injuries at Adelaide Oval clash

AFL star Patrick Dangerfield was forced to wait in the back of an ambulance with a cracked rib and collapsed lung at the Royal Adelaide Hospital because its ED was full.

Geelong superstar Patrick Dangerfield was ramped at the Royal Adelaide Hospital with serious injuries after the Port Adelaide-Geelong game at Adelaide Oval on Thursday night.

The Geelong captain, Brownlow medallist, premiership player and former Crow was initially going to be taken by ambulance to the private Calvary Adelaide emergency department but it was on diversion due to heavy demand.

The ambulance instead went to the RAH but like so many arrivals in recent times was left stuck in the carpark because the emergency department was full.

Geelong Football Club sources confirmed paramedics tended to Dangerfield as they waited for a ED vacancy where he eventually was treated for a partially collapsed lung and a cracked rib.

Dangerfield suffered the injuries during a marking contest in the second quarter and played on with the injuries.

Geelong forward Patrick Dangerfield gets an elbow to the ribs from Port Adelaide’s Dan Houston during a marking contest at Adelaide Oval. Picture: Fox Sports

Dangerfield in pain after the clash with Port’s Houston. Picture: Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty

He was discharged on Thursday night and spent the night in the team hotel but his injuries mean he is unable to fly so faced the long trip back to his Moggs Creek home by car.

Prior to the election Labor promised to “fix ramping” but it has since soared to record levels and government ministers now say they aim to “reduce ramping.”

Premier Peter Malinauskas cited Mondays as the busiest times in hospital EDs because of too few staff working on weekends to discharge patients and free up ward beds, and the state budget included $67.5m doctors, nurses and allied health staff to work on weekends.

Dangerfield in pain after the marking contest. Picture: Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty

Dangerfield cracked a rib and suffered a partially collapsed lung but played on. Picture: Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty

However, as at 3.30pm on Friday the RAH ED was one of five major metropolitan hospital EDs on Code White – operating at above its official capacity as ambulances ramped.

The average waiting time to be seen was 121 minutes and there were 32 people stuck in the RAH ED waiting for a ward bed – six had been there for more than 24 hours and seven for between 12 and 24 hours.

Opposition health spokeswoman Ashton Hurn said ramping affected everyone from injured sports stars to ill pensioners.

“It doesn’t matter who you are, or where you’re from, record ramping under Peter Malinauskas and Labor is impacting everyone, every day,” she said.

“Our health system is struggling under enormous pressure with so many South Australians stuck on the ramp for hours each night, Peter Malinauskas must prioritise fixing ramping like he promised.”

A Central Adelaide Local Health Network spokesman said: “Our patients are always treated according to clinical need. Patients are continually monitored from arrival, with the most urgent cases being treated first. No person is ever provided with preferential treatment.”

A statement from Calvary Adelaide said: “Care 24-7 emergency department, part of Calvary Adelaide Hospital, put in place a diversion for ambulances between the hours of 4.30pm to 6.30pm on Thursday, June 15, and 10pm Thursday, June 15, to 11am Friday, June 16, due to being at capacity. This is common practice to ensure the safety and care of patients.”