Chris Picton MP Minister for Health & Wellbeing Member for Ramsay Flying squad assembles to tackle weekend bed block

Recruitment has started on a new specialist team of health professionals to ensure patients are discharged faster on weekends, freeing up beds for those who need it.
 
The “Flying Squad” is an initiative of the Northern Adelaide Local Health Network (NALHN), which is part of a suite of measures being implemented to ensure timely 7-day patient discharges at Adelaide’s metropolitan hospitals.
 
The $27 million investment over four years – across all metro hospitals - will see more doctors, physios, pharmacists, and other staff rostered on weekends, helping more medically-ready patients return home or to a more appropriate recovery setting, freeing up hospital beds for those who need them most.
 
This is part of the Malinauskas Labor Government’s commitment to ensure people get quality care when they need it, and aren’t stuck on the ramp.
 
The Flying Squad will be a multi-disciplinary team that includes medical, nursing, pharmacy, physiotherapy and social work professionals.
 
There will be a dedicated social worker weekend position within the Short Stay Mental Health Unit to facilitate weekend discharges for mental health patients attending the Lyell McEwin Hospital for a short stay.
 
Increased weekend resources in the aged care, rehabilitation and palliative care division will also lead to more weekend discharges.
 
There is anticipated to be a reduction in the length of stay and quicker weekend discharges for Stomal Therapy patients thanks to a specialist Stomal Therapist Nurse.
 
Hospital discharges decrease by 40 per cent on weekends, from an average of nearly 450 daily discharges Monday to Friday, to an average of 270 on Saturdays and Sundays.
 
The recruitment of the flying squad coincides with the opening of the final stage of the redevelopment of the Lyell McEwin Hospital’s emergency department.
 
The $58 million project brings the total capacity of treatment spaces to 76, once construction on level three of Building A is complete next year, which will deliver 48 new inpatient beds.
 
The completion of the final stage of the emergency department will allow 14 beds in the ED to be used temporarily as inpatient beds until the extra 48 inpatient beds are completed next year.

A vacant 1.79 hectare parcel of land next to the hospital was also acquired earlier this year to provide options for future expansion.
 
Quotes attributable to Chris Picton
 
We are committed to ensuring people throughout South Australia have access to quality health care when they need it.
 
Having more doctors and allied health professionals treating patients on weekends will mean patients can be discharged when they are medically cleared to leave hospital.
 
This will free up beds for those who need it and means patients can return home sooner.
 
The 12 new beds that will be used for inpatients in the short-term will be much needed until construction is completed on the 48 new beds next year.
 
We are doing everything we can to open up more beds in our hospitals, so people receive quality treatment sooner.
 
Quotes attributable to Zoe Bettison
 
I am delighted that the Flying Squad is ready for take off and will ensure patients can be discharged quicker from hospital on weekends.
 
This is an important initiative throughout Adelaide, but especially in the northern suburbs which will only continue to grow in population in years to come.
 
Quotes attributable to Northern Adelaide Local Health Network CEO, Maree Geraghty
 
We are delighted to see this major project reach completion, providing our community with much-needed additional emergency treatment spaces.
 
Adelaide’s northern suburbs have seen significant population growth in recent years which has resulted in greater demand for our services.
 
These projects, teamed with innovative programs such as the multi-disciplinary team, will allow us to meet higher demand while delivering world-class health care to those who need it.