Doctors say ambulance ramping has become a persistent issue at Mount Gambier Hospital, mirroring long-standing problems in Adelaide’s emergency departments. The state government has refuted the claims, insisting that a planned hospital expansion will help ease pressure on the system.
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00:00Mount Gambier doctors are sounding the alarm.
00:05They say it's common for up to four ambulances to be seen waiting outside a crowded emergency
00:11department.
00:12Ramping, access block of patients waiting to get into the hospital.
00:17We also found patients that were being treated in the corridors.
00:22But the state government insists it's not ramping.
00:25We're certainly aware that we have challenges around our infrastructure and workforce and
00:30we're doing things to address those issues.
00:33I absolutely believe the doctors, I believe the people on the ground.
00:37You just have to drive past the hospital and see the ambulances parked there to know that
00:43ramping is becoming an issue.
00:45A $24 million expansion of the Mount Gambier hospital to be complete by the end of the
00:50year includes six new emergency beds.
00:53But the doctors' union says it's not enough.
00:56It will not be useful if we actually don't have a workforce that we can attract and retain
01:01in our health system to support those beds.
01:05And those seeking medical attention are likely to face longer wait times, with the operator
01:10of three local health clinics going into liquidation.
01:13I've been to the urgent care clinic twice now because I have been told that the hospital
01:20is six, seven hours away.
01:22This difficulty in attracting doctors to the region is one factor being blamed.
01:26We need to promote rural generalism to get doctors wanting to be GPs in the rural area.
01:33The doctors' union has submitted a report on its work health and safety concerns to
01:37SafeWork SA and hoping there's a way to heal the problems.