Latest news with #ChrisPicton
ABC News
20-07-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Health unions in pay talks with SA government speak out about ongoing healthcare challenges
Standing outside the Royal Adelaide Hospital emergency department, nurses' union secretary Elizabeth Dabars did not mince her words. Three-and-a-half years after Labor was elected on a promise to fix the ramping crisis, one of the state's key health unions had a message for the South Australian government. "We are sick and tired of being placated and told that people are working on things," Ms Dabars said, flanked by a group of members in scrubs. The union this week went public with concerns over what it calls "internal ramping" — the practice of caring for patients in makeshift areas because no bed is available. Asked about what had prompted her to speak out about the issue, Ms Dabars said she had spent months trying to work with the government behind closed doors — to no avail. "We have tried every single avenue humanly open to us to resolve this concern," she said. Health Minister Chris Picton fired back, responding "we don't accept that terminology from the trade union" — while SA Health claimed it was standard practice to care for patients in alternative spaces while they wait for a bed. The nurses are not the only health workers to have aired their concerns publicly in recent weeks. The unions representing doctors and paramedics have also criticised the government over its handling of issues including ramping, hospital overcrowding and safety. Ambulance Employees Association secretary Paul Ekkelboom this week raised issues of ramping and resourcing in the wake of the death of a man involved in a car crash at Sellicks Hill. SA Salaried Medical Officers' Association (SASMOA) chief industrial officer, Bernadette Mulholland, has highlighted safety concerns over working conditions inside hospitals. In most cases, a union boss calling out the government is hardly remarkable. Yet, for much of Labor's term, health unions faced criticism for keeping too low a profile as ramping hours climbed and the system struggled to cope under enormous strain. The relative silence was most stark in the case of the Ambulance Employees' Association, which had played a key role in helping to turf out the previous Liberal government and get Labor into office. The union helped the then-opposition to humanise the ramping crisis — raising the cases of victims and speaking out about the toll ramping takes on paramedics. "Ash the Ambo" became the face of the campaign, issuing a powerful warning to "vote Labor like your life depends on it". Following the election, the union faced accusations it was failing to hold Labor to the same standard it had the Liberals. Even as ramping continued to reach eye-watering levels, former secretary Leah Watkins showed a more sympathetic approach to the new government — insisting in interviews it would take time for Labor's funding boost to alleviate pressure on the system. Mr Ekkelboom was installed last year as union secretary, thoroughly defeating Ms Watkins after promising to re-establish the AEA's "political independence" and take a "stronger stance" on ramping. The increasing union loudness comes at a time where doctors, nurses and paramedics are all in the midst of pay negotiations, some of which are threatening to turn hostile. The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation said discussions with the government are continuing, while the doctors have already held a stop-work meeting and are planning a strike later this month. SASMOA wants 10 per cent annual pay increases over the next three years — a demand the government has called untenable. Bosses have been quick to shut down any link between their recent criticism and the ongoing pay talks. "Let me be very clear. This is nothing to do with that," Ms Dabars said on Wednesday. Mr Ekkelboom said it would be disrespectful to make any comment on his union's wage negotiations while he was speaking out about the death of a patient. But public commentary is one of the most powerful tools at the unions' disposal — and one some are using now more than at any other point in this term of government. It's been a quieter couple of weeks for the Health Services Union, which earlier this month reached a deal with the government on their new enterprise agreement. Eight months out from the next state election, Labor is widely considered by politicians and pundits to be overwhelming favourites to win another term in office. With a popular premier and an opposition struggling to land punches, there seem to be only a small handful of issues with the potential to inflict real damage on Labor between now and March. Whether the difficulty the government has faced to deliver on its promise to fix the ramping crisis is one of those potential banana skins remains to be seen. Public concern around the state of the health system is not at the same level it was in 2022, when Labor was swept to power on the back of its ramping pledge. But the state's health unions hold the power to change that — and, whatever their motivation, they're looking ready to use it.
ABC News
14-07-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Ambulance union raises response time concerns after man's death at Sellicks Hill
Concerns about ambulance ramping and resourcing have been raised by the state's ambulance union in the wake of the death of a man involved in a car crash at Sellicks Hill, south of Adelaide, on Saturday morning. The Ambulance Employees Association (AEA) said it took 17 minutes for an ambulance crew to arrive at the scene of the category one case — which in metropolitan areas would require a response within eight minutes in 60 per cent of cases. Health Minister Chris Picton said the patient was "outside the Adelaide metropolitan area". South Australia's Ambulance Service (SAAS) chief executive Rob Elliott said the patient was seen as soon as possible "on our most urgent priority", with multiple resources sent to the scene He said it was "not very sensible" to aim for an eight minute response time in regional areas where towns could be sparsely located and that SAAS instead endeavoured to "make sure that we have good regional coverage, good access to resources". He extended his sympathy to the man's family, and praised the "extraordinary" efforts of the bystanders and paramedics who attended the scene. AEA general secretary Paul Ekkelboom said the case was initially triaged as a category two but within two minutes was upgraded to a category one case where "every minute counts". He said the "number one thing" affecting ambulance response times was available crews. "When we don't have crews sitting on station or actively free to respond then it's going to be a delay to get a crew to respond to a patient," he said. "When they're stuck on a ramp, then obviously we can't free them up to respond to the community. "The real effect is obviously when we can't get to our patients in time to administer life-saving care." When asked if the man in this case would have survived if the ambulance response time was faster, Mr Elkkelboom said he was "unsure" but added that he did not have all the patient's medical history. "What we do know is if we can get there in a timely fashion, oxygenate the brain, and keep that blood pumping and give them the life-saving care that [is] needed, there's a good opportunity that we might be able to get a favourable outcome," he said. He said bystanders at the scene did their best to help while awaiting the arrival of paramedics. While he said demand on the health system was high, Mr Ekkelboom acknowledged the government had planned to open more beds later in the year. "I don't want to see another patient in the community experience what unfortunately happened to that gentleman over the weekend," he said. Mr Picton said at the time, the ambulance from the closest station "was at another job in the community, assisting someone else". "Our crews did everything they could to get to that case as soon as possible," he said. Mr Picton said that because the case occurred outside the metropolitan area, the eight minute response time goal applicable to metropolitan areas did not apply. When asked, he said ramping did not play a role in this case "based on the regional location". Last month's ramping numbers were the second highest on record, with ambulances spending 5,387 hours waiting. Mr Picton said the state's health system — including the ambulance service — was currently dealing with the highest number of influenza cases in the state for the past decade. He said while 2,000 influenza cases had been recorded in the past week, the numbers were "vastly underestimated" because not everyone with the flu had a PCR test. There were 164 hospital admissions due to the flu. "Our health system is under pressure, we know that the flu numbers are up, we know that admissions to hospitals are significantly up, but our doctors, nurses and ambos are working as hard as they can — particularly to see the most urgent cases — to make sure that people can get the care that they need," he said.
ABC News
04-07-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Flu cases, hospitalisations on the rise as SA government urges for more vaccinations
Reported flu cases across South Australia have spiked 70 per cent this year, according to government data, prompting fears about the health system's capacity to cope with more hospital presentations. The state government released data on Friday showing there had been 10,569 reported flu cases so far in 2025, up from 6,212 at the same time last year. It comes after a total of 1,627 new flu cases were reported in the past week, which is almost the highest number of cases reported in any week for the past five years, according to the government. The number of people hospitalised due to the flu has also increased to 1,042 this year, compared to 673 at this point last year. Health Minister Chris Picton said the flu case spike was causing two problems: an increase in hospital presentations and more health workers taking sick leave. "We have seen a spike in hospitalisations and significantly more hospitalisations because of the flu than the same time last year," Mr Picton said. "And also, we've seen more absences in terms of many of those workplaces because the workers themselves have the flu." Mr Picton said workplace flu absences were affecting GPs, doctors, and aged care workers. He said there had "never been a more important time to make sure that you're vaccinated for flu". "That's why we're focusing our efforts particularly in terms of young kids, but also older people and people who have chronic health conditions." South Australia's take-up of the flu vaccine is the highest of any mainland states at 32.1 per cent of the population, according to the state government. That is higher than Victoria at 29.9 per cent, New South Wales at 26.8 per cent and Western Australia and Queensland at 25.8 per cent, the government said. The flu spike comes as the state's hospital system continues to struggle with demand. Ambulance ramping hours soared to their third-highest level on record in May, with patients spending 4,791 hours waiting outside public hospitals for treatment. The data, the most recent released by the state government, was taken before the onset of winter and the spike in flu cases Last year's winter saw ambulance ramping reach record levels, with the paramedic's union fearing 2025 will be even worse. Paul Ekkelboom, general secretary of the Ambulance Employees Association (AEA), said the flu figures were "alarming". "History tells us it's only going to get worse from here," he said, adding it was "only a month into winter". "It's placing a huge strain on our health system, every winter there is an increase in the demand and this includes flu cases." Mr Ekkelboom said "from all accounts" ramping hours were going up, adding that ambulance crews were dealing with fatigue and burnout. "We are concerned it's only a matter of time before this situation, where demand can't be met, results in negative patient outcomes," he said.
Herald Sun
03-07-2025
- Health
- Herald Sun
SA flu cases increased 70 per cent
Don't miss out on the headlines from SA News. Followed categories will be added to My News. Flu cases sweeping through South Australia are packing emergency departments with suffering patients and creating 'a perfect storm' in GP clinics as numbers surge 70 per cent higher than last year. New figures released by Health Minister Chris Picton show across the state there have been 10,569 flu cases reported so far this year – 70 per cent more than the 6212 cases at the same time last year. In the past week alone, SA health authorities had recorded a sharp rise in numbers with 1627 new cases, a 28 per cent increase on the 1268 new cases reported the week before and 918 cases two weeks ago. Australian Medical Association SA president Peter Subramaniam said doctors were telling the industry group that the SA's escalating flu case numbers meant GP practice appointment schedules were fully booked days in advance. This meant doctor surgeries across the state were struggling to accommodate patients at short notice. 'We're seeing a perfect storm of increased patient presentations and reduced practice capacity due to healthcare workers falling ill,' Associate Professor Subramaniam said. Mr Picton reported the high number of flu patients was putting intense pressure on medical emergency departments. Friday's figures showed that 1,042 South Australians had been hospitalised with flu this year compared to 673 at the same time last year, a massive 55 per cent increase. As presentations increased, Mr Picton urged South Australians to get vaccinated to reduce their own health risk and to help stop the spread. 'Those of particular concern are children under five and older South Australians, especially those in residential care. They are most at risk of flu complications,' he said. Common complications of flu in children include ear infections, pneumonia and croup. The latest figures showed that SA had currently reached almost the equal highest number of weekly flu cases of any year in the past five years – the highest number was 1653 in August, 2024. Despite SA having the highest uptake of the flu vaccine on mainland Australia at 32.1 per cent, Mr Picton said 'we still need more people to roll up their sleeves'. SA Health chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier said there were several reasons why flu cases were so high. Every influenza season was different with some more severe than others with Ms Spurrier blaming aspects of human behaviour, circulating strains and the 'closeness of vaccine match' impacting figures. The AMA said the surge in reported cases reinforced why annual influenza vaccination was critical. It wanted the state to have co-ordinated action across government, healthcare providers and the community to protect SA's most vulnerable and to support 'our stretched healthcare workforce'. Flu vaccinations were free for those most likely to end up in hospital including children aged under five years of age, those aged over 65 years, pregnant women, Aboriginal people and those with underlying health conditions. Originally published as Health Minister Chris Picton releases latest flu figures showing skyrocketing cases are causing a 'perfect storm' for GP surgeries and hospitals
ABC News
20-06-2025
- Health
- ABC News
South Australian government to allow GPs to diagnose ADHD
Some general practitioners in South Australia will from next year be able to diagnose patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), in a move the state government says will cut wait times and costs for those seeking a diagnosis. Currently, adults in South Australia seeking an ADHD diagnosis must be assessed by a psychiatrist, while children must see a paediatrician. The state government argues the existing regulations have made it "extremely difficult" to get an ADHD diagnosis due to long wait times and high costs to see a specialist. Rule changes announced by the government on Friday will allow specially trained GPs to diagnose the disorder. It will also allow GPs to prescribe ADHD medication without having to provide evidence to SA Health of a diagnosis from a psychiatrist or paediatrician. The reforms will come into effect in 2026. Health Minister Chris Picton said some patients have spent more than $2,000 for a diagnosis. "That's a huge expense for South Australians and it means that people are missing out on important healthcare that can make a difference for them," he said. Mr Picton also argued the reforms would free up "significant capacity" for psychiatrists and paediatricians to undertake other mental health work. "We know that there's significant need in the community for a whole range of other afflictions people have," he said. The reforms follow a similar move by New South Wales earlier this year. The Western Australian government has also committed to the reform. Specialist training for GPs who want to be involved in ADHD diagnoses will be made available from next year. This is on top of online training modules that are already available through the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP). RACGP chair Siân Goodson said not all GPs will take up the additional training. But she added that many GPs already have experience dealing with ADHD patients. "GPs are often co-managing these patients already, so we often prescribe once we've got the diagnosis is confirmed," she said. "So, we're already getting experience in managing medication and managing these people." Dr Goodson, who is also a GP in Adelaide's northern suburbs, said patients are regularly reporting ADHD symptoms to their doctor. She said early ADHD diagnosis was "really important" for children. "We see people waiting a long time for that diagnosis falling behind at school and the outcomes are less good," she said. "But also for adults, sometimes they've struggled for a long time, they've lost their job or they're not functioning at home. Mother Vaia Allen said she spent around $3,000 on getting an ADHD diagnosis for her 12-year-old daughter Pippa. The cost, Ms Allen said, did not include ongoing medication and regular GP appointments. She also needed to travel from Victoria to South Australia. Ms Allen said her daughter has been on ADHD medication for around four months and it has greatly helped her learning in school. "When we got Pip on ADHD medication, it was so helpful … in her classroom for her teacher, the students around her, and obviously for herself," she said. "It's really obvious to me that the education outcomes are so important in terms of their focus and changing their life trajectory. "She can sit there, listen and understand now." Deborah McLean, president of the South Australian Psychologists Association (SAPA), welcomed the state government's rule changes. She also expressed confidence that the training offered to GPs will be sufficient to correctly diagnose ADHD. But she cautioned that some ADHD patients will still need access to "holistic diagnosis assessment and then treatment" for concurrent conditions like depression and anxiety. "It means that we may only be treating part of the problem. "I think for a lot of people, though, this is a really positive step forward and a way to be able to access the essential services they need." The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) SA Branch also welcomed the rule changes. But the college cautioned that the government "must prioritise patient safety and quality outcomes through greater training and support for doctors treating ADHD". RANZCP SA chair Patrick Clarke, a North Adelaide psychiatrist, said he currently treats around 150 ADHD patients. "That's all I can manage, and I can't take on any more," Dr Clarke said in a statement. "So, we're glad to see the SA government doing more to expand access to ADHD care in the state for people who are missing out on help. "Giving trainee specialists more ADHD exposure will greatly increase the pool of doctors with appropriate exposure to see these patients."
