South Australian medical professionals say the health system is under unprecedented stress after a record 18 ambulances were left ramped in the carpark of the Royal Adelaide Hospital.
But Premier Steven Marshall says the situation was "always going to happen" because of cuts made by the previous Labor government.
The Ambulance Employees Association on Monday night posted to Facebook photos of ambulances ramped outside the emergency department.
"This was the RAH at 10.30 last night - 18 ambulances ramped - the most there's ever been at one time," the post read.
"Every ambulance that's ramped is an ambulance that's not available for those that have called 000 and are still waiting."
The Salaried Medical Officers Association also took to social media to say the situation was "pretty bad" and an employee had been assaulted by a patient.
Premier Steven Marshall said the situation was completely unacceptable but was "always going to happen".
"We inherited a mess from the previous government," he told reporters.
"We're doing everything we can to fix it as quickly as possible but there's no silver bullet."
He said the government would open an additional 20 beds at the Repatriation General Hospital, and had put $800 million back into the health budget.
