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A RECORD 18 ambulances were ramped into the carpark of the $ 2.4 billion Royal Adelaide Hospital last night, as each metropolitan public hospital emergency department was running over capacity.
The conga-line of ambulances with patients waiting for an emergency department (ED) is struggling to cope with overwhelming demand.
One doctor was allegedly badaulted by a patient as tempers frayed.
Health workers took off their frustration, posting photos of squads of ambulances lined up like a car yard.
"This was the RAH at 10:30 am last night – 18 ambulances ramped – the most there's ever been at one time," the Ambulance Employees Association SA's branch posted.
"Every ambulance that's rampant is an ambulance that's not available for those that have called triple-0 and are still waiting.
"How long will you be kept waiting?"
The SA Salaried Medical Officers posted: "Doctors now working beyond shifts and looking pretty tired – they are here but clinicians can not keep this up can they?"
"One of our RMOs (Resident Medical Officers) got badaulted by a patient."
The situation was eased this morning but the 800-bed RAH was still caught in a patient-flow gridlock.
At 9.30am there were 48 patients in the ED who had been treated for waiting to be seen.
Six of these patients had been waiting for 24 hours, and had been waiting between 12 and 24 hours.
Across the metropolitan system, there were 64 patients in EDs who were treated but were still waiting for beds.
Ambulance Employees' Association SA President Phil Palmer said the past two days had been "disastrous" ramping which "put lives at risk".
It's a state-of-the-art, hi-tech hospital that will serve future generations of South Australians. The new Royal Adelaide Hospital is now open.
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The union today issued a message to be written on ambulance windows, so the audience can see the extent of the concerns.
It is also calling for the government to waive all ambulance fees for any patient because of its ability to provide services.
"The situation at the RAH is appalling and edging and ramping is impacting on the whole state," he said.
"These are some of the most important sites in the world where Murray Bridge is contributing to patients with RAH when it is already over capacity. These patients end up being ramped for hours. It is counter-productive and contributes to ramping.
"On Sunday, around 30 hours of ambulance crew availability were lost to the community, 16 of which were at the RAH. It was much worse on Monday where at least 64 hours were lost, 35 of which were at the RAH. "
Mr Palmer said members were "beyond furious" and calling for union action.
"We are also considering a non-critical patient's diagnosis of any hospitalization that is rampant / overcrowded," he said.
SASMOA industrial officer Bernadette Mulholland went to the RAH at 11.30pm to consult members and was shocked at the sight.
"There were 14 ambulances ramped up and 106 patients in an ED with 71 cubicles – it was incredibly overwhelming," she said.
"Some mental health patients were in need of mental health resources in SA.
"One doctor was badaulted and needed a couple of stitches in the lip – it is not a great environment to work in."
Ms Mulholland said senior staff who were at work at 11:30 were still there at 1.30am, unwilling to leave junior staff to deal with the demand.
"It was quite frantic – people were looking really really tired," she said. "One doctor said it was almost like being in the third world, looking out and seeing all the ambulances ramped up.
SASMOA officials are meeting with the Minister of Health Stephen Wade and the chief psychiatrist next week to discuss the need for more resources for mental health patients.
"The frustration is palpable among the clinical workforce – they want to find solutions," Ms Mulholland said.
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