South Australia's premier has labelled confronting images of a grandmother left to die in a Royal Adelaide Hospital corridor as "shocking", as pressure intensifies for an independent investigation into the tragic incident.
Premier Responds to Disturbing Footage
Helen Sargeant, a 64-year-old woman from Kilburn, was admitted to the Royal Adelaide Hospital with breathing difficulties in October last year. With no rooms available, she was placed in a hallway outside a kitchen area and left unattended for almost an hour without access to an emergency buzzer to call for assistance.
When hospital staff eventually checked on her, she was found unresponsive and was pronounced dead shortly afterwards. In a particularly distressing detail, the patient was only moved into a hospital room after she had died.
System Failures Revealed
Sargeant's patient records reveal multiple concerning issues during the incident. An attempt was made to move the bed into the CPR position, but it was discovered the bed was not connected to power. There was also a delay in oxygen administration attributed to patient overflow within the hospital.
SA Premier Peter Malinauskas responded to exclusive footage aired by 7NEWS Adelaide, stating the images had raised serious concerns about hospital procedures. "These are shocking images and they speak to exactly why there will be a thorough investigation," the premier declared.
Family's Heartbreak and Calls for Action
Sargeant's children have spoken publicly about their mother's treatment, with her son Damien Sargent stating, "She's been treated like a piece of rubbish." Another son, Simon Sargent, added, "My mother should have lived that day but, through the hospital's action, she's now no longer with us."
The family has indicated they are preparing for legal action and hopes their mother's death will force authorities to implement meaningful changes to prevent similar tragedies.
Political and Health System Responses
Despite public outcry following the footage's release, SA Health has maintained its internal findings and insists staff acted appropriately during the incident. The health authority revealed there have been three reviews into the case, each conducted by the health network's own senior clinicians.
These clinicians concluded they were satisfied the patient's death had nothing to do with being left in a hospital corridor, asserting there were no delays in providing medical support or access to appropriate equipment during resuscitation attempts.
However, Health Minister Chris Picton has expressed support for further investigation, stating, "Any time there's an issue, we need to investigate it, learn from it, and fully co-operate with coronial processes."
Opposition Leader Ashton Hurn has joined growing calls for an independent review, describing the situation as "just a shocking scenario" and expressing dismay that "an elderly woman could die alone in a corridor at our flagship hospital."
Staff Distress and Systemic Concerns
The incident left hospital staff so distressed they were sent home for the day following the tragedy. One worker made their feelings clear with a three-word statement in Sargeant's medical notes: "The system stinks."
The coroner is yet to release findings on the case, but the incident has sparked broader conversations about hospital capacity, patient safety protocols, and emergency response procedures within South Australia's healthcare system.
