South Australia public hospitals operating in internal emergency, elective surgeries paused
10 months ago

South Australia public hospitals operating in internal emergency, elective surgeries paused

ABC  

In short: South Australia's entire public hospital system is operating under an internal emergency with long patient wait times and delayed elective surgeries. South Australia's entire public hospital system is operating under an internal emergency with long patient wait times and delayed elective surgeries. SA Health chief executive Robyn Lawrence called a code yellow on Thursday afternoon, opening all available beds and paused almost all elective surgeries in metropolitan and regional public hospitals. SA Salaried Medical Officers Association's Bernadette Mulholland told ABC Radio Adelaide Drive program hospital staff are trying to cope with the demand but the community is expected to face long waits in emergency departments.

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History of this topic

Chronic delays sees 56 ambulances ramped, 23 patients kept waiting, union says
7 months, 2 weeks ago

Chronic delays sees 56 ambulances ramped, 23 patients kept waiting, union says

ABC  

Chronic levels of ramping — as bad as when borders reopened during the COVID years — have left more than 20 South Australians without an ambulance, a union says. Ambulance Employees Association general secretary Leah Watkins told ABC Radio Adelaide 56 ambulances were ramped outside five public hospitals on Wednesday, with 23 emergency cases in the community "uncovered". "It so …

Elective surgeries resume, but some procedures still on hold while code yellow emergency remains
9 months, 2 weeks ago

Elective surgeries resume, but some procedures still on hold while code yellow emergency remains

ABC  

In short: Elective day surgery has resumed in SA hospitals, as the "bulk" of restrictions are lifted. More elective surgery restrictions have been eased in South Australian hospitals as the statewide code yellow continues, the Health department says. The department said it had been another busy week across the health system but there had been "some improvements", allowing for further …

Flinders Medical Centre operating under internal emergency code for nearly two weeks, union says
1 year ago

Flinders Medical Centre operating under internal emergency code for nearly two weeks, union says

ABC  

In short: Crisis meetings have been held at Flinders Medical Centre over concerns the hospital is operating over capacity. One of South Australia's major public hospitals has been constantly operating under an internal emergency code for nearly two weeks, including reports of patients being treated in corridors. The South Australian Salaried Medical Officers Association said Flinders Medical Centre, in Adelaide's …

Emergency departments are clogged and patients are waiting for hours or giving up. What's going on?
2 years, 9 months ago

Emergency departments are clogged and patients are waiting for hours or giving up. What's going on?

ABC  

Around 25,000 people visit hospital emergency departments across Australia every day. "Ambulance ramping" — where ambulances queue outside hospitals to hand over patients — has become more common and means some people wait long periods before they even arrive at emergency. Of the 8.8 million presentations at emergency departments each year, one in three people wait more than four hours …

Ambulance crews 'overwhelmed' as emergency patients left waiting for hours, union says
3 years, 2 months ago

Ambulance crews 'overwhelmed' as emergency patients left waiting for hours, union says

ABC  

Emergency patients across Adelaide were left waiting up to seven hours for an ambulance to arrive last night amid "overwhelming" strain on South Australia's health system, the union says. Key points: In one case, a paramedic drove their own mother to hospital when an ambulance didn't arrive, the union says The SA Opposition described last night as the "worst ever …

COVID patients left waiting for hours as Adelaide hospitals overwhelmed and ambulances ramped
3 years, 3 months ago

COVID patients left waiting for hours as Adelaide hospitals overwhelmed and ambulances ramped

ABC  

COVID-positive patients spent hours waiting for ambulances last night as demand for Adelaide's ambulance service exhausted capacity, the paramedics union says. Key points: Four COVID-positive patients were not seen in a timely manner last night, the SA ambulance union says It says every ambulance in metropolitan Adelaide was in use, causing delays SA Health's latest data shows five people are …

Four code yellow alerts across North Queensland hospitals 'unprecedented, really dangerous'
3 years, 5 months ago

Four code yellow alerts across North Queensland hospitals 'unprecedented, really dangerous'

ABC  

Earlier this week four major north Queensland hospitals sounded code yellow alarms in unison, signalling major capacity issues across Cairns, Townsville, Mackay, and Mount Isa public health systems. Key points: Mackay, Townsville, Cairns, and Mount Isa hospitals all called code yellows on Tuesday The College of Emergency Medicine says patients have died as a result of capacity issues in Queensland …

Patients put at 'high clinical risk' as ramping and patient surge hit South Australian health system
3 years, 6 months ago

Patients put at 'high clinical risk' as ramping and patient surge hit South Australian health system

ABC  

There were no ambulances for 17 high-priority emergencies in Adelaide's southern suburbs last night, putting patients at "high clinical risk", according to the paramedics union. "Until the Marshall Liberal government resolves these core capacity issues, we will continue to see ramping and delayed ambulance responses in the community." In June, Premier Steven Marshall said the state budget would "definitely" fix …

Elective surgery postponed at Royal Darwin Hospital after patient overcrowding prompts 'code yellow' emergency
3 years, 6 months ago

Elective surgery postponed at Royal Darwin Hospital after patient overcrowding prompts 'code yellow' emergency

ABC  

Elective surgery has been postponed at Royal Darwin Hospital, with the facility reaching capacity for the third time this year. Key points: A code yellow, indicating an internal emergency situation, has been called at RDH Category two and three elective surgeries have been postponed Emergency surgeries and specialist outpatient appointments will go ahead as normal A "code yellow" emergency was …

Major incidents declared in Adelaide hospitals amid surge in emergency department presentations
3 years, 8 months ago

Major incidents declared in Adelaide hospitals amid surge in emergency department presentations

ABC  

Two of Adelaide's major hospitals were forced to simultaneously declare major incidents on Monday night due to emergency department overcrowding. Key points: Significant emergency department overcrowding left two major metropolitan hospitals in internal crises The ambulance union said a baby with breathing issues was waiting for help for 45 minutes on Monday One young woman also said she had been …

Cairns Hospital in code yellow again as demand for emergency care pushes clinicians to the limit
3 years, 10 months ago

Cairns Hospital in code yellow again as demand for emergency care pushes clinicians to the limit

ABC  

Cairns Hospital has declared a code yellow emergency for the third time this year, in response to increased pressure on services. Key points: The hospital had its busiest month ever for elective and trauma surgery in March The Together union says ambulance ramping is getting worse It has forced the cancellation of some elective surgery The internal emergency was called …

WA hospitals 'under pressure' as Royal Perth, Sir Charles Gairdner face 'code yellow' emergencies
4 years ago

WA hospitals 'under pressure' as Royal Perth, Sir Charles Gairdner face 'code yellow' emergencies

ABC  

The WA government has confirmed two of Perth's tertiary hospitals — Royal Perth and Sir Charles Gairdner — faced "code yellow" internal emergencies yesterday, meaning the hospitals were struggling to cope with the volume of patients. Key points: Two major Perth hospitals issued 'code yellow' alerts yesterday Health Minister Roger Cook says the system is working as expected But the …

Nine people linked to Melbourne's Northern Hospital test positive to coronavirus
4 years, 8 months ago

Nine people linked to Melbourne's Northern Hospital test positive to coronavirus

ABC  

Eight staff from Victoria's busiest emergency department and one of their household contacts have tested positive to COVID-19. Key points: All staff in the hospital's emergency department will be tested as a precaution Sources from the hospital told the ABC only ambulances with code one emergencies were being taken to the hospital's emergency room Victoria recorded 191 new cases of …

Ramping issue continues to plague Adelaide hospitals' emergency departments
7 years, 6 months ago

Ramping issue continues to plague Adelaide hospitals' emergency departments

ABC  

Doctors in Adelaide's major hospitals are struggling to cope with high workloads as emergency patient numbers surge, their union has said. At one stage, the ambulance union said there were 18 ambulances with patients ramped at the new Royal Adelaide Hospital, with more en route. Opposition spokesman Steven Wade said at one stage recently, the Lyell McEwen Hospital was operating …

Tasmanian Health Minister denies his office blocking attempts by Royal Hobart Hospital staff to escalate issues
7 years, 10 months ago

Tasmanian Health Minister denies his office blocking attempts by Royal Hobart Hospital staff to escalate issues

ABC  

The Tasmanian Health Minister's office is being accused of concealing from the public the true extent of the crisis in Royal Hobart Hospital's emergency department. National hospital and health emergency codes: Fire/smoke Medical emergency Bomb threat Infrastructure and other internal emergencies Personal threat External emergency Evacuation A code yellow would ensure that all medical staff were called in to help …

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