Sad death in RAH ED comes as hospital suicide attempts surge

As worried officials investigate how a woman took her own life while unattended in the RAH ED, Health Minister Chris Picton says there has been a surge in suicide attempts at hospitals.

Suicide attempts in hospitals are on the rise, Health Minister Chris Picton has revealed, as he described the death of a young woman who took her own life while left unattended in the Royal Adelaide Hospital emergency department as “heartbreaking”.

As revealed by The Advertiser, the woman was found dead in a cubicle on Monday night after being brought in with an overdose and left alone as staff struggled to deal with an overcrowded ED, a packed waiting room and ramped ambulances.

The cause of her death is understood not to be linked to the overdose.

“It is an absolutely heartbreaking situation,” Mr Picton said.

“I know both the family involved and staff involved will be absolutely devastated.

“I have had an initial briefing but there are more briefings to come in relation to this matter.”

Health Minister Chris Picton. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Mariuz

Mr Picton stressed that due to the sensitivities involved, and also because a report is being prepared for the Coroner, there were limits on what he could say publicly about the situation.

“I would make it clear that the Central Adelaide Local Health Network and the Royal Adelaide Hospital are taking it very seriously and are going through the appropriate clinical reviews in terms of that case,” he said.

“We know what an awful situation that would be.”

Mr Picton said he had heard from Chief Psychiatrist Dr John Brayley there was evidence of increasing numbers of suicide attempts taking place in hospitals.

“This is something which we are confronting and the Chief Psychiatrist is leading a significant amount of work on,” he said.

“It is one element of the increasing mental health impacts across the whole community.”

SA Health is offering support and counselling to the family of the woman and to their own affected staff who are understood to be distraught.

Dr Brayley earlier this year told a parliamentary committee there had been a “significant” spike in suicide attempts in hospital, possibly linked to Covid issues, although he did not provide figures.

Prompt action by clinical staff had prevented a similar spike in deaths.

SA Health Chief Psychiatrist Dr John Brayley. Picture: Dean Martin/Newswire

Last month a separate report by Dr Brayley tabled in parliament found children were self-harming in the Women’s and Children’s Hospital emergency department, sent home in taxis and turned away from hospital when seeking mental health treatment.

This report was sparked by complaints from parents who said their children were discharged from the WCH while “still at risk of self-harm or suicide”.

The death comes as the family of Keisha Smith, who took her own life in March aged 21, call for health system reform.