Job cuts at South Australia's pathology services have been put on hold.
Health Minister Jack Snelling says the proposed reorganisation of Pathology SA will now not proceed until mid 2018 - after the state election - following consultations with staff, industry groups and unions.
Nearly 200 positions were planned to be axed as part of the introduction of new technologies, but the minister admitted this would have been a mistake.
"If we were to proceed with those job cuts, in the time frame that was proposed, then that would have had a detrimental impact on the quality of the service provided by SA Pathology," Mr Snelling said.
"Assumptions in the report weren't valid."
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The pressure placed on pathology staff, with job cuts looming for more than three years, was unfortunate, Professionals Australia's SA director Sarah Andrews said.
But she accepted redundancies were still likely next year.
"Invariably, when you introduce new technologies into the workforce, efficiencies can be gained and we're happy to be part of the working party to oversee that process," she said.
Opposition health spokesman Stephen Wade was critical of the government's delay in reorganising the sector.
"These are key decisions the government's been consulting on for years and now we find out that no decision will be made until after the next election," he said.
