7 May 2020
The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (SA Branch) is calling on the State Government to ensure that some additional resources committed to the health system will remain in place after the COVID-19 pandemic ends.
In particular, the ANMF (SA Branch) is urging the Government to keep the Repatriation General Hospital site at Daw Park as an additional flexible resource to bring occupancy rates in public hospitals down to a more manageable level.
The SA Government has said that some extra resources will not necessarily stay after the coronavirus pandemic ends, according to the ABC. These may include new facilities at the Repat, Wakefield Hospital and ECH College Grove.
Premier Steven Marshall will not confirm whether the 278 extra beds added on standby will remain after the coronavirus crisis is over. “It doesn’t necessarily mean that they need to be added permanently,’’ he told ABC Radio.
The ANMF (SA Branch) and South Australian Salaried Medical Officers Association are calling for at least some of the new measures to be kept in place, fearing a return to pre-pandemic conditions will result in an increase in ramping, not enough bed stock and increased stress and anxiety for doctors and nurses as we confront longer term demand.
“South Australia’s health system has for years endured chronic problems relating to overcrowding, lack of beds and ramping,’’ ANMF (SA Branch) CEO/Secretary Adj. Associate Professor Elizabeth Dabars AM said.
“Ensuring that the Repat site and its extra beds remain as valuable resources post-coronavirus will go a long way towards easing the strain on both our health system and hospital staff.’’