Ramping in SA hospitals falls to 3798 in June figures

But the health minister has acknowledged that the new figures come at a time when hospital beds in Adelaide are full.

Hours lost to ambulance ramping in June fell to 3798 hours, down from the record 4773 hours lost in May but still one of the worst months on record.

Release of the figures come as the Queen Elizabeth Hospital’s new ED starts operation with 15 extra beds which will further relieve delays in ambulance paramedics transferring patients into EDs. There are also 52 extra inpatient beds to improve patient flow.

Health Minister Chris Picton noted the drop in ramping comes as “hospital beds are full”, with more than 100 extra patients in hospital beds every night compared to the same time last year. Long-stay patients (over 21 days) are also up 14 per cent compared to last year as aged care barriers impact hospitals.

At 3pm on Wednesday the overall metropolitan ED system had run out of beds with clinicans treating 367 patients despite a combined capacity of 332.

Hospitals including the Royal Adelaide Hospital, Flinders Medical Centre, Lyell McEwin and the Women’s and Children’s all were treating more patients than ED capacity — but the QEH had 10 free beds.

FMC clinicians were treating 84 people despite official capacity of 63, while the WCH had 10 more patients than its 35 capacity.

The Opposition said the June figure was almost 700 worse than June last year and comes despite elective surgery bans being in place for the entire month.

Mr Picton released the figures while spruiking the start of construction of one of the biggest upgrades in Modbury Hospital’s history to will deliver a new cancer centre, 44 mental health beds and five-storey carpark with more than 300 parking spaces.

Health Minister Chris Picton. Picture: Kelly Barnes

The $117m investment will allow up to 50 patients a day to receive cancer treatment closer to home and will mark the reintroduction of cancer services to Modbury Hospital.

Currently, public hospital patients living in the northeastern suburbs have to attend Lyell McEwin Hospital or other metro hospitals for chemotherapy.

The project includes a new 24-bed mental health rehabilitation unit to support adults who need longer stays in hospital.

A new 20-bed older persons mental health unit will see the existing older persons acute mental health service at Lyell McEwin Hospital move to the new Modbury Hospital beds, creating acute mental health capacity at Lyell McEwin Hospital.

The precinct is due for completion in December 2025.

Mr Picton said: “This $117m project not only delivers more beds which we know the health system needs, it also returns cancer services to Modbury for the first time in a decade.

“That means locals requiring chemotherapy will be able to access lifesaving treatment closer to home.

“We’re also building 44 new purpose-built mental health beds at the hospital. From the get-go, our government has put mental health firmly on the agenda with our $124m commitment to build and open 72 new mental health rehabilitation beds across Modbury, The Queen Elizabeth and Noarlunga hospitals.”

Northern Adelaide Local Health Network chief executive Karen Puvogel said she was delighted works are underway at Modbury.

“This major development will bring a welcome boost to mental health and cancer services in the northeast, which we know are needed,” she said.