The Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM; the College) said ramping is not an emergency department (ED) problem alone. Safer EDs depend on patient flow through the whole hospital, access to non-acute services, and having a strong and supported workforce, including in regional and rural areas.
ACEM South Australia Branch Chair Dr Dan Haustead emphasised that ambulance ramping was only the visible symptom of underlying pressure in other parts of the health system.
“Ramping is the headline issue, and bed block is what’s behind it,” Dr Haustead said.
“We all see the ambulance lines outside the hospital, but it’s the bottlenecks behind closed doors that emergency clinicians are warning about.”
At the upcoming election, ACEM is calling on all parties to commit to improving emergency care across the state, by:
- mandating that no patient remain in an ED for more than 24 hours and directing hospitals to allocate patients across other wards to improve patient safety, share the risk and reduce ED wait times
- implementing a seven-day hospital service model across the state, with increased availability of doctors, pharmacists, allied health professionals and diagnostic services outside standard business hours
- expanding non-acute services to help patients transition safely to the next stage of care and recovery
- committing $5.35 million over four years to introduce new emergency medicine training opportunities in regional and rural South Australia
- streamlining the approval process to recognise doctors’ credentials across hospitals, reducing duplication and improving flexibility to fill workforce gaps
Dr Haustead said ACEM recognised the significant investments made by the Malinauskas Government towards future hospital capacity. He acknowledged these new beds as vital in helping address the current challenges facing EDs, as well as a foundation for continued sustainable investment to cater for growing patient numbers and the more complex care needed by an ageing population in decades to come.
“We need to improve patient flow to ensure the benefit of those additional beds is being felt where it matters most – by patients,” Dr Haustead said.
“Long waits in emergency departments are deeply frustrating for South Australians and, from a clinical perspective, increase the risk of deterioration. For emergency doctors, wait times are first and foremost about safety.”
“While South Australian EDs handle highly concentrated pressure and risk on a daily basis, this risk should actually be spread more equitably across the system,” Dr Haustead said.
“We need to be moving admitted patients into wards sooner, expanding non-acute services, and improving access to care after hours so beds can be freed up more quickly. Non-acute care helps patients recover safely after the acute phase of illness, when they do not need a hospital bed but still need ongoing support."
“We also must work collaboratively with decision-makers to improve training for ED physicians to give them the ability to work anywhere in rural and regional areas and ensure more equitable access to emergency healthcare for everyone in South Australia.”
“For patients and their families, this means shorter waits, faster access to the right care, and less time spent in overcrowded emergency departments when they are at their most vulnerable,” Dr Haustead said.
“At the upcoming election, ACEM will support commitments that align with these priorities and looks forward to working constructively with the next government to deliver the best possible emergency care to all South Australians.”
ENDS
Note: Click here to read ACEM’s detailed South Australian election platform.
Background:
ACEM is the peak body for emergency medicine in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, responsible for training emergency physicians and the advancement of professional standards.
Media Contact:
Nick Buchan, Media Advisor:
[email protected] +61 481 918 488
Daphne Atkinson, Media Advisor:
[email protected] +64 4 333 2473