Three Deaths Linked to Ambulance Ramping Investigated in Adelaide Inquest
An inquest has begun in Adelaide to investigate the deaths of three South Australians who died after experiencing ambulance ramping. The inquest, led by Deputy State Coroner Ian White, will examine the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Anna Vincenza Panella (76), Bernard Anthony Skeffington (89), and Graham Henry Jessett (64).
All three individuals died after waiting for extended periods outside emergency departments at either the Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) or Flinders Medical Centre. Counsel assisting the coroner, Darren Evans, highlighted ambulance ramping as the "overlapping issue" in each case. He emphasized the need to examine emergency department conditions, access block, and the effectiveness of the Australasian Triage Scale in determining patient waiting times.
The inquest will delve into the specific details of each case. Mr. Jessett, who had a history of health issues, waited five hours in an ambulance before being transferred to a hospital bed. He subsequently suffered cardiac arrest and died. Mr. Skeffington, who experienced stomach pain and vomiting, waited over three hours for an ambulance and his condition deteriorated rapidly while on the ramp. He died four days later. Mrs. Panella arrived at the RAH via ambulance after a fall and experienced a cardiac arrest. Despite resuscitation efforts, she could not be revived.
Mr. Evans noted that ambulance ramping peaked in South Australia in November 2023, with over 4,285 hours of ramping recorded. He expressed concern that patients with urgent medical needs were not receiving timely care due to delays in transferring them from ambulances to hospital beds.
The inquest is expected to hear evidence from paramedics, triage nurses, doctors, and SA Health officials regarding efforts to address ambulance ramping and improve patient care. The inquest is scheduled to continue over the next two weeks.