Two emergency departments in a month on the Yorke Peninsula have been left without a doctor, as South Australia suffers through a shortage of medical practitioners.
The accident and emergency department at the Minlaton medical clinic shut for the Queen's Birthday long weekend because the clinic had been a doctor short for months.
The Yorke and Northern Local Health Network confirmed that later that week, there were no doctors available at the emergency department (ED) at the Maitland hospital, about half an hour away.
Senior nurses had to run the ED with the help of telehealth services and a paramedic from 8am on June 17 to 8am the following day.
"We continue to work closely with locum providers and local medical practices to cover the roster and source locums when needed, in line with the Enterprise Agreement, to ensure ongoing medical support for the hospital."
Back-up for hospital also short-staffed
Michael Chalk, the CEO of Minlaton clinic operator Adelaide Unicare, said its ED was run as a 24-hour service by putting one of three local GPs on call.
He said the clinic had been a doctor down for months.
"We are currently waiting for an international medical graduate to arrive from overseas and he'll be taking up a full-time position at Minlaton, and that will bring us up to full complement," Mr Chalk said.
He said it was not a surprise when there were not enough staff to cover the ED, and no locums available to step in.
"We had had prior discussions with (the Yorke and Northern Local Health Network) probably 6 months ago with anticipation that this could happen from time to time," Mr Chalk said.
"So there were contingency plans that were put into place when we were not able to open the A&E."
Patients needing emergency attention over the long weekend were sent to Yorketown, about 20 minutes away.
The Yorke and Northern Local Health Network said the Maitland hospital was also used as a backup for the Minlaton ED when it could not be staffed.
"This is an arrangement that has been in place for many years," the spokeswoman said.
Little relief in budget
In April, the hospital at Balaklava in the mid-north was left without any doctors on site for part of the Easter long weekend.
And the GP clinic at Peterborough, also in the mid-north, closed because it was unable to continue staffing the practice.
The Rural Doctors Association of SA said the state budget did not offer much to solve the chronic staff shortages, despite a big spend on health.
"We welcome the announcement about the (funding for a feasibility study and to identify) sites for a new hospital in the Barossa, but (that) is something that's been talked about for 30 years."
The State Government has been contacted for a response.
Earlier this year, the Federal Government announced additional incentives for rural doctors in an attempt to ease the shortage.
.jpg?w=600)
