Health unions raise concerns over ongoing ramping amid wage negotiations in South Australia

ABC NEWS (Australia)

South Australia’s health system is again in the spotlight. The ambulance union and the doctors union, who are both in wage negotiations with the state government, have raised concerns over ambulance response times and ramping. The government says it’s making significant change while the flu season takes a toll on the health system.

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00:00The ambulance union raising concerns over crew and resourcing after a man died waiting for paramedics to arrive at a car crash in Selix Hill.

00:12The real effect is obviously when we can't get to our patients in time to administer life saving care.

00:18The union says it took the ambulance about 17 minutes to arrive.

00:22In the city paramedics are expected to arrive within 8 minutes for similar cases but that time frame doesn't apply in the region.

00:31The SA Ambulance Service says the patient was seen as soon as possible.

00:35It's unfortunate that the Aldinga crew were in the community already but after that the next available ambulance, the closest ambulance was sent.

00:45It's tragic for the family, it's tragic for the paramedics and South Australians deserve answers.

00:51To the north of the city there were delays at the Lyle McEwan Hospital.

00:55The doctors union says a patient waited 72 hours in the emergency department for a bed in a mental health facility.

01:02It's just not the appropriate care that those patients actually need.

01:07Last month's ramping numbers were the second highest on record with ambulances spending 5,387 hours waiting.

01:16The government says record numbers of flu cases are also having an impact with over 2,000 cases and 164 hospital emissions.

01:25There's no doubt that we need additional hospital beds and that's what I've been saying repeatedly and that's what we're doing.

01:31Ongoing investment but a greater need for speed.

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