Ambulance Ramping

The Hon. I. PNEVMATIKOS (14:38): My question is to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing regarding health. I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking that question.

Leave granted.

The Hon. I. PNEVMATIKOS: Ramping has escalated to break an alarming new record in each of the past three months: 1,992 hours in February, 2,098 hours in March and a shocking 2,281 hours in April. This represents the worst ramping in South Australia's history. My questions are:

1. Does the minister take responsibility for presiding over the worst ambulance ramping in our state's history?

2. Can the minister explain why 37 ambulances were ramped outside our hospitals yesterday afternoon?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:39): There is no doubt that we are experiencing very high levels of ambulance ramping, and in that we are not alone. Emergency departments right around Australia are experiencing increased pressure during COVID. What we are particularly seeing, as I mentioned earlier, are the higher acuity presentations particularly in relation to older, chronic patients. The more chronic patients, the more complex cases often necessitate a longer stay and that has put increased pressure on our emergency departments.

Of course, COVID itself is also putting pressure on the supply of critical care through our emergency departments because of matters such as social distancing, increased use of infection control measures, such as single rooms and, of course, if there is any concern as to the person's COVID-positive state they might need to have testing.

The latest data confirmed what we all knew, that the first part of this year has been a very busy time in our emergency departments. The government continues to develop critical care services. I have already mentioned priority care centres. Another example is the Urgent Mental Health Care Centre in the CBD, which is in the process of increasing to full capacity.

The other initiative which will help ease pressure in the emergency departments—one amongst a number—is the My Home Hospital initiative. Again, this is particularly useful for people with chronic and complex conditions. It is particularly relevant for people who might have cognitive impairment. There are challenges with an ED presentation and inpatient care for a person with cognitive impairment—such as dementia—particularly in relation to orientation, and so being able to get care at home is of particular benefit for those people.

The Marshall Liberal government's investment in emergency departments I believe will be a significant factor in helping to address ambulance ramping, particularly in relation to improved patient flows. The Flinders Medical Centre I am told will have improved patient flows when the redevelopment there is completed. When the redevelopment is completed, there will be up to an additional 30 treatment spaces at the Flinders Medical Centre and an approximately 50 per cent increase.

We will continue to deal with the issues facing our emergency departments. We will be doing that collaboratively because other states and territories are experiencing increased demand as well as increased pressure. We are keen to work together to get a better understanding of the factors that are contributing to this increase.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Ms Pnevmatikos has a supplementary