Surgery cancellations balloon in South Australia as ramping hits new woeful record
Ramping in May was the worst on record as the entire public health system struggled to cope, with EDs and ICUs full, ward beds full, and now most elective surgery cancelled.
SA News
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Ambulance ramping hit a grim new record in May as the health system staggered under such demand SA Health declared a statewide internal emergency and cancelled most elective surgery for the foreseeable future.
As embattled hospital emergency departments operated at over capacity and intensive care and general ward beds were full, ambulances spent 4773 hours ramped, eclipsing the previous record of 4285 hours set in November.
It is only the second time it has topped 4000 hours in a month, and comes despite Premier Peter Malinauskas’ 2022 election pledge to “fix the ramping crisis.”
There are more than 200 extra patients admitted to hospitals than at the same time last year, and an additional 1500 triple 0 calls in May compared to May 2023.
Elective surgery cancellations have ballooned to 231 cases, on an elective surgery list which had blown out to 21,191 patients listed as “ready for surgery” and 4065 listed as “overdue.”
SA Health chief executive Dr Robyn Lawrence said the situation is being reviewed daily, but expects the elective surgery “pause” to last at least a week and longer if necessary.
She said SA Health would use “any space deemed safe to use as a bed space” to relieve pressure on overloaded EDs.
The crush in EDs continues regardless of elective cancellations — at 3pm on Saturday metropolitan hospitals had 81 people in EDs who had been treated, but were waiting for a bed, including 24 waiting 12 hours or more.
Health Minister Chris Picton said patients lack of GP and aged care access are major factors, with up to 200 patients a day stuck in hospital waiting on aged care placements and NDIS support.
As the crisis unfolds the government is parading its efforts to fix the problems, including a public tour of the new $315m clinical services building at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital on June 16, which has 52 new beds, part of the commitment to open 280 new beds this year and next.
Mr Picton toured Noarlunga Hospital on Saturday to talk up the start of construction of its$74m, 48-bed expansion, increasing its bed numbers by more than 50 per cent to 140.
“This week has shown more than ever why we need extra beds in our hospital system and why building more beds is such a focus of the Malinauskas Labor Government,” he said.
However Opposition Leader David Speirs said: “People are losing their lives because of Peter Malinauskas’ failures and broken promises in health and the revelation of 4773 hours lost on the ramp in May is disgraceful.”
He labelled Labor’s promise to fix ramping as “the greatest electoral fraud in state history” and called for Mr Picton to be sacked.
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