00:02From Tuesdays to Thursdays, Anguston Hospital's emergency department doesn't have an on-site
00:08doctor.
00:08Which has of course put a lot of strain on the community which is something that we as
00:13doctors take to heart and it's a problem that we wish to see resolved as soon as possible.
00:19Workforce shortages are being blamed after the local health network cut ties with two
00:24locum doctors over performance issues.
00:26It's left nurses at the ED to pick up the slack.
00:29They're being pushed right to the top of their scope of practice and perhaps even outside
00:33of it in order to provide services to patients.
00:36When there's no doctor at Anguston Hospital, ambulances are diverted here to Gawler.
00:41But that doesn't stop some serious patients turning up at Anguston during those times unaware
00:46of the situation.
00:48So the government has doctors monitoring the Anguston ED via video for treatment and prescriptions.
00:53And it is a measure we have put in place while we try to find a long-term resolution to
00:59having
00:59a doctor there.
01:00At nearby Kapunda Hospital, birthing services have been suspended for six weeks also due to
01:05staff shortages.
01:06The health network says six expectant mothers will now have to give birth in Gawler.
01:11This will be very disappointing news for them, and I apologise to them for the change in
01:17their plans.
01:18The issues are putting the political spotlight back on the health system.
01:21If this type of situation was happening in the CBD, there would be absolute uproar from
01:26the government.
01:27I take these issues really, really seriously.
01:29I grew up in the country.
01:30I understand these issues, but I won't be lectured to by the Liberal Party.
01:34The government says it's doing all it can to hire more staff.
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