Yorke Peninsula residents share harrowing health experiences to SA parliamentary inquiry

Regional South Australian residents have aired harrowing stories of how they and their loved ones were let down by an underfunded and understaffed health system.

A family’s grief over a grandfather who died after he was sent home from Wallaroo Hospital with “a couple of stitches” – after a serious head injury – is among the harrowing experiences with The Yorke and Northern Local Health Network detailed to a parliamentary inquiry.

Residents last month told of their experiences with The Yorke and Northern Local Health Network in a bid for more staff and expanded services, particularly at the 21-bed Wallaroo Hospital.

In two regional sessions, the inquiry heard from a Moonta woman who spoke of her husband’s death in 2022 “so it would not be in vain”.

The grandfather fell onto a metal anvil, causing serious head trauma. The inquiry heard that despite his medical history including a heart condition and being on blood thinners, a locum doctor at the hospital sent him home with “a couple of stitches”.

“There were no warnings of symptoms to watch out for, no follow-up visits planned or appointments for an X-ray,” the woman told the inquiry.

“Overnight his condition worsened. His face swelled to monstrous proportions and he couldn’t talk. All of this was observed by three small children.”

The woman’s husband died as he arrived at the hospital in an ambulance the next day.

She has raised concerns on the region’s lack of permanent doctors, lack of after-hours radiology services and poor quality of care.

The inquiry is investigating the classification of Wallaroo Hospital and whether Port Pirie Hospital should be removed from the Yorke and Lower North Health Network.

It was prompted by a 10,000-signature petition calling for an overhaul of local health services.

A parliamentary inquiry is looking into the Port Pirie Hospital’s position in The Yorke and Northern Local Health Network . Picture Dean Martin

Farmer Stephanie March told of the “financial strain, logistic challenge and emotional toll” of having a child with a rare genetic condition, who must travel to Adelaide for appointments.

“I do urge political parties to commit to a national rural health strategy that truly addresses rural health inequities,” Ms March told the inquiry.

“Rural families aren’t asking for special treatment. We are simply asking for the same dignity, respect and access to healthcare that every South Australian deserves.”

She said measures to help rural residents such as the patient assistance transport scheme were “flawed” and telehealth failed when physical assessments were required.

Helen Rooney told the inquiry her father had been in hospital for 13 months after initially being misdiagnosed, transferred to Adelaide and back – suffering pneumonia, Covid and a stroke – and now needed rehabilitation to undergo surgery.

Margaret Schultz said she chose a 260km-round trip to Gawler for an X-ray for severe leg pain, as a 30-day wait at Wallaroo radiology was too long. She said she found out “I was at risk of a pulmonary embolism with potential death consequences”.

Yorke and Northern Local Health Network chairman John Voumard said the examples of care were “less than what we all strive for” and told the inquiry the workforce was under “significant pressure” and the network was “underfunded”.

He said a new rural doctor training program, headed by local GP Dr Ellie Daniel, and hiring more than 30 graduate nurses was aimed at building a sustainable workforce.

The network’s chief executive, Roger Kirchner, said removing Port Pirie Hospital from the health network would not increase funding to Wallaroo Hospital, as it was funded based on its activity.

He said two new, full-time private GPs would start at a Yorketown practice by the end of May and would provide services to the Yorketown Hospital.

Originally published as Yorke Peninsula residents share harrowing health experiences to SA parliamentary inquiry