SOUTH Australian Labor backbenchers have broken ranks with the government on proposed hospital reforms.
THE government has suggested replacing Noarlunga Hospital’s emergency department with a walk-in clinic, with patients in ambulances redirected to the nearby Flinders Medical Centre.
Chris Picton, Katrine Hildyard and Nat Cook, whose southern Adelaide electorates would be affected by the changes, say facilities need to be kept for emergency patients treated without admission. They say the government’s plan would mean the existing emergency set-up would have to be replicated. “We recommend that important parts of the emergency department such as the resuscitation rooms and high acuity mental health facilities be maintained,” they said in a joint submission. The MPs have also called for Noarlunga to have the flexibility to accept patients in ambulances based on their clinical needs. The government is yet to decide on the proposed changes. “We still have to do work on the model but I do know that there are nurse-led emergency clinics around the world,” Health Minister Jack Snelling told parliament last week. “They are a very successful model.” Other proposals include closing Adelaide’s Repatriation General Hospital and consolidating emergency treatment at “super-sites” in three hospitals. The Liberal opposition says the changes will increase waiting times and put patients at risk. Family First MLC Robert Brokenshire said he was concerned the proposals could leave hospital staff at greater risk of violence. Figures obtained under Freedom of Information showed the number of “code black” incidents – used when staff feel threatened by patients – rose to more than 8000 across metropolitan hospitals in 2013/14. “If the government is going to increase the workloads at these hospitals, they need to show whether they have factored in a growth of code black incidents,” Mr Brokenshire said.