South Australia’s Health Minister, Chris Picton, issued an apology to a woman who experienced significant delays while ramped outside the Flinders Medical Centre in an ambulance. This incident occurred during a period marked by increased ambulance ramping, with the latest data revealing that paramedics lost 3,948 hours to ramping in October 2023.
Commitment to Reducing Ramping
While the ramping hours represent a six-month low, they still exceed the same month from the previous year. Minister Picton reaffirmed the government’s commitment to addressing this pressing issue. He stated, “We will use every possible lever that we can to make sure patients can get the care that they need and reduce ramping across the system.”
The incident that prompted the apology involved a 74-year-old woman who fell at home and was transported to the hospital by ambulance. According to Paul Ekkelboom of the Ambulance Employees Association, the woman suffered from neck and head pain. The initial ambulance crew faced a lengthy wait at the hospital, necessitating a second crew to take over after several hours.
“That’s a very concerning incident that happened to the patient,” Picton acknowledged. “We absolutely apologised to that patient for the wait that they had.” He emphasized that the need for additional hospital capacity is critical to preventing such occurrences in the future.
Patient Experiences Long Waits
Mr. Ekkelboom recounted that the woman remained ramped for nearly 12 hours, during which she became increasingly uncomfortable. She was eventually placed in a public access corridor, still under the care of paramedics until receiving further medical attention. “We had to hold blankets up around the patient so that she could have a little bit of privacy to go to the toilet,” he explained, noting that the woman was treated with spinal precautions, requiring her to lay flat.
During this time, Flinders Medical Centre was experiencing high demand, with multiple patients waiting for care. Ekkelboom emphasized the challenges paramedics face in a struggling health system, stating that it causes “moral injury” for those unable to provide timely care to patients in need.
The chief executive of the Department for Health and Wellbeing, Robyn Lawrence, addressed the media, stating that the department is working diligently to ensure patients flow through the health system as quickly as possible. She acknowledged the high demand at Flinders Medical Centre, which has seen attendance rates over 10 percent higher than the previous year’s average.
Dr. Lawrence also highlighted that the patient was triaged as a priority three but emphasized the challenges of managing emergency department demands. “We like to see those patients within 30 minutes if we can,” she said, adding that the hospital prioritizes all patients based on the situation at hand.
Looking to the future, Lawrence noted that the health department is advocating for additional resources at the federal level. A significant issue affecting bed availability is the presence of 300 aged care patients who are ready to transition to permanent placements. “We need those beds to treat patients such as this lady,” she explained.
The Southern Adelaide Local Health Network also offered its apologies to the affected patient, acknowledging the current demand for services. As part of ongoing efforts to improve patient care, the network anticipates the opening of an additional 60 beds at both Flinders Medical Centre and Noarlunga Hospital, including 36 new mental health beds and 24 acute medical beds.
As the government continues to address the issue of ramping, the focus remains on enhancing capacity and improving patient care across South Australia’s healthcare system.
