19 July 2021
The Modbury Hospital emergency department lockdown has had immediate repercussions with Adelaide’s six other public hospital EDs operating at Code White and another internal incident declared at the RAH.
Code White is SA Health’s highest rating for the level of pressure on a hospital, with services and patient safety at risk of being compromised.
Average waiting times blew out to 151 minutes at Lyell McEwin Hospital and across the city at 2pm there were 107 patients who had been treated but were stuck in EDs waiting for a bed — 15 waiting for more than 24 hours, The Advertiser reports.
The RAH declared an “internal incident” as it had 51 people stuck in its ED who had been treated and were waiting for beds, 13 of them for more than 24 hours and another 15 waiting for between 12 and 24 hours.
Besieged staff at the RAH ED were dealing with 75 people in the 69-capacity ED, with 26 waiting to be seen and 11 expected arrivals, The Advertiser reports. The average waiting time to be seen was 122 minutes, apart from high priority cases.
The Modbury ED lockdown was sparked by a patient who tested positive for COVID-19 at 2.30 this morning.
“The crushing impact on our already overstretched hospital system sadly reaffirms what we have been saying all along … ‘how on earth will we cope if a COVID crisis hits?’,’’ ANMF (SA Branch) CEO/Secretary Adj Associate Professor Elizabeth Dabars AM said.
“Just one solitary case has had a frightening seismic ripple effect through the entire health system, putting nurses under incredible strain and patients at risk.
“We again find ourselves stating the achingly obvious … more resources and more staffing are urgently required. Imagine the horrendous consequences should another emergency department be forced into lockdown,’’ Ms Dabars said.
“Our heartfelt sympathies go out to the Modbury emergency department nurses and staff who now have to quarantine for two weeks, as well as to all other nursing professionals who will be severely impacted by the additional burden on the system.’’