The State Government has released a strategy for winter weather aimed at protecting South Australians, hospitals and healthcare staff following significant improvements in April.
According to the Government, the key to the strategy is the new virtual State Health Control Centre which offers a 24/7 oversight of the entire health system, allowing better coordination to respond to blockages and ensure resources are directed where they are needed.
Launched last week, the Centre was an election commitment to help ensure ambulances were directed to an emergency department with capacity.
“It comes as latest data shows ramping improved dramatically in April – with 2,810 hours lost on the ramp, a nearly 30 per cent reduction from March’s 3,968 hours, or 1,158 fewer hours – but with still more improvements needed across the system,” the Government said.
“It’s the lowest ramping figure in a year, with every hospital experiencing improvements.”
It said the Queen Elizabeth Hospital recorded a 36 per cent drop in ramping from last month while Flinders Medical Centre reported its second best result since February 2021 and down 29 per cent from last month.
“The Royal Adelaide Hospital had its lowest ramping hours in a year and down 31 per cent from last month, while Noarlunga Hospital experienced a 33 per cent improvement from last month.
“Importantly, ambulance response times also improved again in April – with the best Priority 1 response time recorded since August 2021”
The Government said the new Centre was to consist of a multi-disciplinary team of clinicians, including nursing staff, medical staff and paramedics, supported by expertise in predictive data and analytics, simulation training and logistics.
“In line with health advice from the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC), the SA Government – consistent with NSW, Victoria, Qld, Tasmania, ACT and NT – is focusing on the at-risk groups,” it said.
“Many workplaces are already providing free vaccination as part of standard work health and safety.”
Minister for Health and Wellbeing, Chris Picton said it was pleasing to see significant improvements in ramping for April.
“But we know there is much more to do,” Mr Picton said.
“We are opening hundreds more beds and hiring hundreds more healthcare staff and we know that it will take time to see long-lasting results as our huge investments in health take shape and start having a real impact,” he said.
The new State Health Control Centre is to be linked with hospital and SA Ambulance Service operation centres to improve patient flow across the state.
The Centre will be scaled up over the next 12 months, initially based at the SA Virtual Care Service at Tonsley before moving to the new SA Ambulance Service Headquarters at Mile End when it opens in 2025.
