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7NEWS
7 days ago
- Health
- 7NEWS
Family speaks out after beloved grandfather dies following medical episode as union slams ambulance response time
A well-respected South Australian man and beloved grandfather has died after a medical episode behind the wheel. Robert Tancock had only minutes to receive vital help that may have seen him survive his medical episode. Unfortunately, paramedics couldn't get there in time. WATCH ABOVE: Ambulance Union calls for action on Adelaide's ambulance ramping. Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Emergency services were called to Main South Rd at Sellicks Hill about 10.15am on Saturday but Tancock couldn't be revived. Friends told 7NEWS that he was 'selfless and always gave back to the community.' The ambulance union claims he would have had a better chance of survival if crews responded to jobs faster. 'Time is valuable and every minute counts,' they told 7NEWS. 'They performed CPR but unfortunately, with a very lagged downtime without oxygen to the brain, the outcome was unfortunate.' There is an ambulance station on Port Rd at Aldinga, minutes from where the crash happened. Tancock was triaged as category 1, which is meant to have a response time of eight minutes. 7NEWS understands it took about 15 minutes for paramedics to arrive at the scene and to begin crucial CPR. The survival rate for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Australia is about 10 per cent of patients surviving to hospital discharge or 30 days after the event. SA Health Minister Chris Picton, however, said that the eight-minute response time doesn't apply in the regions and the Aldinga ambulance was detained at another job. 'Our crews did everything possible to get to that case as soon as possible,' he told 7NEWS. 'The only potential ambulance station that could have been closer, that ambulance was out in the community helping someone else at the time.' 7NEWS spoke with Tancock's widow, who said she was happy with the care her husband received. The union blames ramping at Flinders Medical Centre and said paramedics can't respond to emergencies if they're stuck at hospitals. 'When they're stuck on a ramp, then obviously, we can't free them up to respond to the community,' they said. The government has defended its health system, while South Australia battles more than 2000 flu cases, the highest weekly number since 2019 with 164 hospitalisations. The Australian Medical Association SA said on July 4 that the ramping was at record levels. 'This pressure is reflected in our emergency departments. The latest ambulance ramping figures show 5382 total hours lost in June – making it the second-worst month ever recorded,' associate professor Peter Subramaniam said. Shadow Minister for Health Ashton Hurn said South Australians are sick of waiting and sick of this government's failure to deliver on its clear promise to fix ramping. 'This is more than just data released each month, it represents sick South Australians stuck outside of our hospitals, desperate to get in,' Hurn said. 'It also impacts our paramedics who have to endure being ramped for hours and hours.'
Herald Sun
03-07-2025
- Health
- Herald Sun
SA flu cases increased 70 per cent
Don't miss out on the headlines from SA News. Followed categories will be added to My News. Flu cases sweeping through South Australia are packing emergency departments with suffering patients and creating 'a perfect storm' in GP clinics as numbers surge 70 per cent higher than last year. New figures released by Health Minister Chris Picton show across the state there have been 10,569 flu cases reported so far this year – 70 per cent more than the 6212 cases at the same time last year. In the past week alone, SA health authorities had recorded a sharp rise in numbers with 1627 new cases, a 28 per cent increase on the 1268 new cases reported the week before and 918 cases two weeks ago. Australian Medical Association SA president Peter Subramaniam said doctors were telling the industry group that the SA's escalating flu case numbers meant GP practice appointment schedules were fully booked days in advance. This meant doctor surgeries across the state were struggling to accommodate patients at short notice. 'We're seeing a perfect storm of increased patient presentations and reduced practice capacity due to healthcare workers falling ill,' Associate Professor Subramaniam said. Mr Picton reported the high number of flu patients was putting intense pressure on medical emergency departments. Friday's figures showed that 1,042 South Australians had been hospitalised with flu this year compared to 673 at the same time last year, a massive 55 per cent increase. As presentations increased, Mr Picton urged South Australians to get vaccinated to reduce their own health risk and to help stop the spread. 'Those of particular concern are children under five and older South Australians, especially those in residential care. They are most at risk of flu complications,' he said. Common complications of flu in children include ear infections, pneumonia and croup. The latest figures showed that SA had currently reached almost the equal highest number of weekly flu cases of any year in the past five years – the highest number was 1653 in August, 2024. Despite SA having the highest uptake of the flu vaccine on mainland Australia at 32.1 per cent, Mr Picton said 'we still need more people to roll up their sleeves'. SA Health chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier said there were several reasons why flu cases were so high. Every influenza season was different with some more severe than others with Ms Spurrier blaming aspects of human behaviour, circulating strains and the 'closeness of vaccine match' impacting figures. The AMA said the surge in reported cases reinforced why annual influenza vaccination was critical. It wanted the state to have co-ordinated action across government, healthcare providers and the community to protect SA's most vulnerable and to support 'our stretched healthcare workforce'. Flu vaccinations were free for those most likely to end up in hospital including children aged under five years of age, those aged over 65 years, pregnant women, Aboriginal people and those with underlying health conditions. Originally published as Health Minister Chris Picton releases latest flu figures showing skyrocketing cases are causing a 'perfect storm' for GP surgeries and hospitals
