Proposed cuts to doctors, nurses, elective surgery revealed in KordaMentha report
Consultants hired by the state government wanted massive cuts to staffing and services across one of Adelaide’s biggest health networks, FOI documents have shown.
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Up to 43 doctors, at least 19 nurses and 147 support staff would be axed from the Central Adelaide Local Health Network, which includes the Royal Adelaide Hospital and Queen Elizabeth Hospital, under a proposal unearthed via Freedom of Information.
The March 2021 report, by consultants KordaMentha, revealed a proposal to save $70 million from CALHN’s budget through a range of cost-cutting initiatives, to be implemented from July last year onwards.
These measures included getting rid of up to 43 doctors, at least 19 nurses, and 147 support staff as well as closing eight mental health beds and cutting at least seven per cent of all outpatient appointments.
The company also proposed slashing elective surgery by 10 per cent, and suggested considering closing plastic surgery, cardiology, rheumatology, palliative care and geriatrics services at either the RAH or QEH.
The report was made public after the state ombudsman ordered the state government release it to the SA Salaried Medical Officers Association.
KordaMentha was appointed as administrator of CALHN in November 2018 after compiling a report about the agency’s budget blowing out to almost $300 million a year.
The company aimed to save $276m over three years and in its first year it saved CALHN $57 million.
Opposition health spokesman Chris Picton said the document would “send a shiver down the spine of all doctors, nurses, health workers and most importantly patients”.
“It is clear this is the Marshall Liberal Government’s agenda for the next term – get past the election and then return to cutting our health system,” he said.
The Advertiser asked the government if the proposals were still under consideration.
Health Minister Stephen Wade said Labor was “fixated by fearmongering that is completely refuted by reality”.
“The fact is that there is a significantly larger health workforce in South Australia than there ever was under the former Labor Government, and we are growing SA Health even further to support the state’s COVID-19 response,” he said.
Premier Steven Marshall on Wednesday said he believed the contract with KordaMentha had expired.
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