When a loved one is facing a terminal illness, the fundamental hopes are usually for basic comfort, dignity, and adequate healthcare. Bronwen Paterson shared her profound grief and frustration when these very basic expectations were not met for her partner, Stephen (Steve) King, affectionately known as “Kingy”. Instead of a peaceful passing, Steve endured a harrowing wait for an ambulance, nearly two hours long, followed by an additional hour ramped outside the Royal Adelaide Hospital. It was in this distressing state that cancer ultimately claimed his life.
Ms Paterson recounted that she knew her partner was nearing the end. However, she firmly believed that Steve, who was once the “life of the party” and a devoted father, deserved to be treated with the utmost dignity and spared unnecessary suffering in his final moments.
Bronwen decided to share her story publicly after reaching out to the SA Liberal Party via email, coinciding with the release of new ambulance ramping statistics. These figures revealed a staggering 3,616 hours of ambulance ramping in the preceding month. This was a significant increase from March 2022, when Labor entered government with a promise to address the “ramping crisis,” and the recorded ramping hours stood at 2,711.
The release of these concerning statistics placed Health Minister Chris Picton under intense scrutiny. During a press conference, he faced a barrage of questions regarding his suitability for the role.
Before Bronwen contacted the opposition, she felt there had been insufficient media coverage of the ramping crisis. She felt compelled to share her personal experience, not only highlighting the issue of ramping but also her deep concerns about the palliative care system and what she perceived as its failings in Steve’s final weeks.
The situation was compounded by the lack of available hospice beds. By the time Bronwen realised the gravity of Steve’s condition, there was no room for him in a hospice. Consequently, their then 11-year-old son was forced to witness his father enduring excruciating pain.
On the anniversary of Steve’s death, Bronwen made the difficult decision to share her story, speaking to the ABC as part of a collaborative arrangement with other news outlets. As the interview concluded, and before Bronwen had even left her home, the Health Minister’s office contacted the journalist, seeking to respond to the allegations made by the grieving family.
Initially, the Minister’s office provided information defining what constitutes ambulance ramping. They also informed the journalist that another news outlet had opted not to publish the story. While journalists are often subjected to such statements – the “spin doctors” of political media advising are known for their efforts – on a human level, this felt incredibly dismissive of Bronwen’s pain and her desire to improve healthcare outcomes for others. She had shared her story with the hope of making a positive change.
What followed ignited genuine calls for an investigation and for Health Minister Chris Picton’s resignation.
On a subsequent Friday, an email, clearly marked “OFFICIAL” and intended for reporting, landed in the inboxes of several journalists. The email stated: “It’s an email we received from Stephen King in November 2023 — positive feedback about his treatment.” This email chain included a note purportedly sent by a Stephen King to the Premier’s email address on November 10, 2023, praising his treatment within the South Australian healthcare system.
However, upon receiving this email, more questions arose. Bronwen’s Steve had passed away in 2025. The existence of a letter written two years prior, praising his treatment, seemed incongruous with her experience and did not address the critical issue of ramping in his final moments. Crucially, questions lingered about Bronwen’s consent to the release of this email, which contained personal details about when and where Steve received treatment.
It was deemed essential to directly address these questions with Bronwen. Although she was scheduled to meet friends to commemorate Steve’s life, she agreed to a second interview to respond to the email and the state government’s claims.
Bronwen described her late partner’s anniversary as “bittersweet.” She explained that while remembering the good times was becoming easier, the “horrible times before he died” remained acutely painful. She expressed deep sadness that she did not have a family photograph of them together as Steve took his final breath. With tears in her eyes, she recounted that Steve was coherent before receiving pain relief, and the ambulance journey had been “agonising for him.” She described how the cancer had ravaged his body, and at only 40 kilograms, he felt “every bump.”
As the journalist began to question Bronwen about the discrepancies in the timeline of Steve’s illness and the date mentioned in the email, including the specific email address it was sent from, a chilling pause ensued. Bronwen’s response was a definitive, “No… no.” She was devastated, realising almost immediately that the glowing endorsement was not from her Steve. “That’s not Steve,” she asserted, guaranteeing that he did not have terminal cancer in the year mentioned. She further stated he had never visited the hospitals listed and was certainly not employed in the profession mentioned. “I’m really not sure what that email is supposed to achieve because that’s not Steve,” she concluded. She emphasised that Steve was “not an email person” and any feedback he provided would typically be via phone.
Bronwen expressed her profound disappointment, stating, “I just feel like I’ve been let down by the health system again, they don’t even know who I’m talking about.” She found the situation “insulting to the family… I feel quite empty. Just let down.” She reiterated that her sole purpose in sharing her story was to raise awareness about Steve’s case and palliative care, and the fact that no one had bothered to ascertain his identity was deeply upsetting. Reading the response email left her feeling “very traumatised.”
Following the second interview, the journalist contacted Mr. Picton’s office to clarify how they had verified the identity of the Stephen King in question. They were unable to provide a satisfactory explanation, and a written response missed the publication deadline.
During this period, Bronwen reported that Mr. Picton had called her, though she felt he did not offer a sincere apology initially, followed by a text message apology. A formal written statement from Mr. Picton, apologising and acknowledging the error of misidentifying the individual, was sent to the ABC just minutes before the 7 pm news bulletin. The statement maintained that the letter had been provided “in good faith” and that Mr. Picton intended to visit Bronwen to hear her concerns directly.
In the days that followed, the Health Minister faced persistent questions regarding his involvement in the dissemination of the erroneous email and whether he should resign from his position. He stated that he took “full responsibility” for the email. Premier Malinauskas described Mr. Picton’s actions as an “absolute mistake” and deemed it “unacceptable.”
Despite the controversy, Mr. Picton’s position appears secure for the time being. However, for those who care for and advocate for the state’s most vulnerable during their final hours, the concept of “safety” may feel increasingly elusive. Bronwen shared that the entire ordeal had left her exhausted and “completely broken,” and she expressed fear about raising further complaints, given the government’s apparent tactic of publicly attempting to discredit individuals who speak out.
