Five star solution: Patients put in luxury Pullman Adelaide for non-acute care

Skip the noise, bad food, and infection risk. Dozens of patients are escaping the hospital chaos for non-acute care in a bid to ease SA’s ramping crisis.

Ashleigh Mann is one of dozens of people enjoying health care in a five-star hotel courtesy of SA Health as the state government tries to “fix” ramping.

Ms Mann, 46, from Richmond, fell at home and spent nine days in the Royal Adelaide Hospital with a fractured femur.

She lives at an apartment and is unable to return home due to stairs so has spent the past month enjoying the facilities at the Pullman Adelaide Hotel on Hindmarsh Square courtesy of SA Health, rather than occupying in a RAH bed.

Ashleigh Mann, 46, from Richmond, has spent a month at the Pullman Hotel at SA Health’s expense instead of being in a RAH bed. Picture Brad Crouch

“The staff and nurses have been incredible,” she said. “It is the perfect transition for people who don’t need acute care — and I have loved the food.”

Eighty hospital patients who no longer required acute care have used the Transition Care Service at the Pullman Adelaide since it opened two months ago, with 55 patients discharged.

The collaboration between SA Health, Amplar Health Home Hospital and the Pullman Adelaide provides a base for patients who no longer require hospital care to transition to a more appropriate service with health care provided.

Amplar chief executive Sarah McRae said it is an innovative model to better meet patient needs.

“This service not only helps ease pressure on South Australian hospitals but also provides a more appropriate and comfortable environment for patients to continue their recovery once they no longer require acute care,” she said.

Health Minister Chris Picton declined to reveal the cost of putting up patients in the luxurious Pullman saying it was commercial in confidence but emphasised it was cheaper than being in the Royal Adelaide Hospital, and indicated more hotels may be used to house patients.

He praised the service while releasing data showing ambulance ramping dropped in April for the first time since October as balmy weather continues through autumn — but winter is coming.

Ambulances were stuck in hospital car parks for 3700 hours in April, down from 4134 hours in March, which is still far more than any time under the previous Liberal government.

Mr Picton reiterated the federal government shares the blame for ramping due to aged care patients being stuck in hospitals.

“We’ve seen a record 280 older South Australians who are medically ready to leave hospital but are stuck there because they’re waiting for a federal aged care bed,” he said.

“That’s the equivalent of more than the entire Modbury Hospital taken out of the system.”

Opposition health spokeswoman Ashton Hurn said Labor had delivered 35 months of the worst ramping in the state’s history.

“Patients and paramedics have spent more than 136,000 hours stuck outside our

hospitals on the ramp since Labor was elected, or the equivalent of 15 years,” she said.

Originally published as Five star solution: Patients put in luxury Pullman Adelaide for non-acute care