Doctors urge action on problems plaguing SA hospital network

Sick of an inefficient South Australia hospital system, the doctors’ union campaigns for people power to pressure the government.

SASMOA senior industrial ­officer Bernadette Mulholland. Picture: AAP/Mark Brake

Raising public awareness of the problems plaguing Adelaide’s troubled hospital network, and getting them addressed, will underpin industrial action by the doctors’ union.

The South Australian Salaried Medical Officers Association said yesterday its campaign, which would include letterbox drops and social media, would heap pressure on politicians to remedy the chronic overcrowding of emergency depart­ments.

On Monday night there were 18 ambulances “ramped” — meaning an ambulance is parked outside a hospital because there are no free beds to treat a transported patient — at the $2.4 billion Royal Adelaide Hospital. SASMOA senior industrial ­officer Bernadette Mulholland said the campaign would target the “only people who can make this (issue) a priority — the community”.

“Something of such primary importance to the community is health — your health, your parents’ health, your kids’ health — so I’m amazed the issues we’re facing haven’t been resolved,” she said.

Ambulance Employees Association secretary Phil Palmer said the “ramping” on Sunday and Monday was “absolutely horrendous”. Ambulance shortages, compounded by ramping, had seen response times to life-threatening cases compromised.