Specialists critical of SA health plan

The South Australia government's transformation of health in the state has shut out consultation with senior clinicians, a parliamentary committee has heard.

Specialists from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Adelaide's west say the government's Transforming Health strategy has ignored their warnings that reduced services, such as respiratory and cardiac care, put patients at risk.

Shadow health minister Stephen Wade said the government was being disingenuous when changes were announced to the plan in June.

"The bureaucrats SA Health are bulldozing ahead with major downgrades of services in the west in spite of the government's commitments," he said.

"But what the clinicians told us today is that all of the inpatient beds for respiratory services will leave the QEH, that that significantly increases the risks to patients."

Central Adelaide Local Health Network chief executive Jenny Richter said they were still finalising service arrangements.

She said consultations with senior clinicians would play a significant role in determining their plan.

"Residents in Adelaide's western suburbs will continue to have access to cardiac, respiratory and cancer services at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital," she said.