SA’s South-East being left without doctors because of regional plane cancellations

SOME hospitals in SA’s South-East are being left completely without doctors and patients face delays in diagnosis of life-threatening illness because of erratic regional flights.

A Rex Airlines plane at Adelaide Airport. Picture: AAP / Emma Brasier

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PEOPLE in the state’s South-East are being left without doctors or facing delays in diagnosis of life-threatening illnesses because of erratic regional flights.

In a submission to an inquiry into regional air services, the State Government’s Mt Gambier and Districts Health Advisory Council warns about the combination of hospital staffing problems and flight cancellations.

Rex Airlines flights to Mt Gambier are often hit by flight cancellations and delays.

Nearby Millicent Hospital depends entirely on fly-in fly-out doctors.

Mt Gambier Hospital needs locums to fill in and other services rely on specialists flying in from Adelaide.

A Mt Gambier and Districts Health Advisory Council spokeswoman said: “Unplanned flight cancellations result in Millicent Hospital being left without a general practitioner until alternative flight arrangements can be made.

“Cancelling flights at short notice has meant patients have been unable to keep appointments in Adelaide/Melbourne, resulting in delay of treatment and/or diagnosis of possibly life-threatening medical conditions.”

It is more expensive to operate regional airports, and the inquiry has heard that flights are cancelled to save money if they are not full.

Rex has warned it has a wafer-thin profit margin and the need for better anti-terrorism security could send it broke.

It estimates it would cost $34 million a year to maintain higher security. The Federal Government has pledged $50 million over four years.

Centre Alliance Senator Rex Patrick said the funding was unlikely to cover the ongoing costs of security personnel, so increased costs would be passed on to passengers.

Graeme Maxwell, acting chief executive of Grant District Council, which runs Mt Gambier Airport, said security was a high priority but the council was concerned about the reliability and affordability of air travel.

The Department of Home Affairs has told the inquiry that “maintaining a risk-based, proportionate security framework at regional airports is critical to ensuring public confidence in aviation, protecting passengers and safeguarding the economy”.