The ‘non-negotiable lifeline’ central to top-level ramping round table discussions
InDaily has been given an exclusive look inside the Australian Medical Association in South Australia’s closed-door round table, where healthcare system leaders including the Health Minister are examining problems like ramping and care access.
A top-level meeting of representatives from across South Australia’s health system will focus on practical ways to strengthen the lifeline of patient care, InDaily can reveal.
In a speech, AMA SA President Dr John Williams told participants that patient care was like a lifeline that “can be frayed or broken through poor communication, lack of essential information sharing, agencies working in silos”.
“It can be frayed through a lack of resources and underinvestment in the medical workforce,” he said.
“That affects everything from service delivery to clinician burnout.”
The meeting – Access to Care Round Table – is being hosted at the Pullman Adelaide and involves healthcare leaders such as Dr Williams, Health Minister Chris Picton and AMA President Dr Danielle McMullen.
It also includes representatives from the public and private hospital sectors, general practice, aged care, mental healthcare and the South Australian Ambulance Service.
There, the leaders will discuss underlying problems that compromise patient care and add to the burden on hospitals.
It follows the release of AMA’s latest ramping report card in April, which found the total time South Australians have spent waiting outside hospitals has tripled in five years.
The 2025 Ambulance Ramping Report Card found patients spent 45,399 hours ramped in 2023-24, an increase from 15,239 hours in 2019-20.
The state’s peak medical body says these figures equate to more than five years of lost time waiting for care.
Total hours South Australians were ramped outside hospitals by financial year. Source: Australian Medical Association
Dr Williams said strengthening the lifeline was “an absolute non-negotiable for our patients”.
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“Evidence shows that connected, consistent, timely, lifelong care that guides and protects patients through the system is what is needed,” he said.
“It is absolutely achievable and takes collective focus and a shared understanding.”
The AMA SA President thanked participants for their commitment to trying to deliver a more connected healthcare system.
“AMA SA initiated this round table because we have the very best interests of our patients at heart,” Dr Williams told the meeting.
“It’s a privilege to have you here and we’ve been overwhelmed by the response.”
The round table is set to identify short-term and long-term opportunities for change.
“We can’t heal the health system in one day,” the AMA SA President said.
“Our work will continue after the round table ends.
“We stand ready to work with the South Australian government and all partners to turn talk into action in the weeks and months ahead.”
The round table continues…
