SA Health has relaunched a campaign that reminds people that emergency departments (EDs) are for emergencies at a time metropolitan public hospitals are experiencing huge and unprecedented demand.
Re-announcing the campaign, Minister for Health and Wellbeing, Chris Picton said SA Health had also implemented a strategy to help manage pressure on hospitals.
Mr Picton said the Winter Demand Strategy 2022 would manage demand in hospitals, which included opening extra beds across the system, and provide more care in the community, including flu shots, so people could avoid the need to go to hospital.
He said the campaign, which would include advertisements on social media and television, came as metro public hospitals experienced huge and unprecedented demand, with the potent combination of COVID cases, flu cases and normal winter ills.
Mr Picton said new COVID modelling from the University of Adelaide indicated that there was a likelihood of the BA.5 Omicron subvariant leading towards a peak in mid-July.
“There is a significant degree of uncertainty around the size of the peak, but it is not expected that the increase in case numbers associated with the BA.4 and BA.5 variants will be worse than was previously experienced,” he said.
The Minister said the campaign urged South Australians to help reduce demand and seek help at an ED only in the case of an emergency, not with minor ills and ailments.
“For minor illness or injury, people are encouraged to visit their local GP, GP Respiratory Clinic, pharmacist, after-hours GP clinic, or virtual care service,” he said.
“Of course, anyone that is seriously ill with a medical emergency or life-threatening situation should always call triple zero (000) or present at an ED as soon as possible.”
He said people could also seek advice through HealthDirect, 24 hours a day, seven days a week on 1800 022 222.
SA Health’s two-page Winter Demand Strategy can be accessed at this PS News link and its three-page SA COVID-Ready Modelling Update at this link.
