The Malinauskas Labor Government has today announced that the South Australian Virtual Emergency Service (SAVES) will be expanded to support the Angaston Hospital emergency department.
SAVES helps regional hospital EDs continue to operate, including when on-site doctors aren't available, by connecting patients to doctors in Adelaide via Telehealth, who work with local nurses on-site to deliver care for lower priority presentations. It is currently in place at over 30 regional hospitals across the state.
The previous Marshall Liberal Government stopped the use of SAVES at Angaston Hospital during their term in office.
The previous Liberal Government also closed country hospital EDs at Gumeracha and Strathalbyn hospitals.
The Malinauskas Government is exploring the further expansion of SAVES to other hospitals in the Barossa and Fleurieu regions.
Despite the nationwide shortage of GPs in regional communities, the Malinauskas Government is continuing work to ensure country South Australians can get the care they need, closer to home, whilst also working to attract more doctors to our regions.
Earlier this year the Malinauskas and Albanese governments expanded the Single Employer Model to all regional local health networks in the state, after a trial of the model in the Riverland successfully boosted the number of GPs in the region.
Over the past three years the Malinauskas Government has added an extra 646 doctors above attrition across South Australia.
As put by Chris Picton
The expansion of the South Australian Virtual Emergency Service program to Angaston Hospital returns an important service to the hospital that was cut by the former Liberal Government.
Regional communities deserve access to emergency care when they need it, and our Government is working to ensure country hospitals remain open even when impacted by nationwide GP shortages.
I thank the local GPs who have always provided services to Angaston Hospital and the Local Health Network are working hard to make sure we can add extra doctors to keep the services of the hospital open.
