South Australia’s major hospitals are amongst the worst performing in the nation when it comes to treating patients in their Emergency Departments within the required period of time.
“Figures released today by the National Health Performance Authority show South Australia has the worst Emergency Department performance in Australia and is going backwards when compared to the rest of the country,” said Shadow Minister for Health Rob Lucas.
“Our two largest hospitals Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) and Flinders Medical Centre meet the four hour target for just over 50 per cent of our patients.
“Our two largest hospitals fall into the bottom 10 per cent of major metropolitan hospitals in Australia and the situation got worse during 2013.
“Royal Brisbane & Women’s manages to meet the target 74 per cent of the time, Royal Perth 72%, Royal Hobart 59 per cent, Royal Prince Alfred 57 per cent, Royal Melbourne 55 per cent and bringing up the rear RAH at just 51 per cent.
“Indeed even Royal Darwin Hospital which deals with a substantial itinerant population that presents regularly with complex health needs to RDH’s Emergency Department outperforms RAH.
“These figures are a damning indictment of 12 years of Labor mismanagement of our health system and come before the Weatherill Labor Government cuts $1.033 billion from the health budget.
“Health Minister Jack Snelling needs to detail how much money will be cut from Emergency Departments and how those cuts will impact on waiting times.
“Claims that things have already improved are at odds with the fact that in October – December 2012 none of our major hospitals were in the lowest 10 per cent whilst one year later both RAH and Flinders are at the bottom of the list.”