Some of the busiest hospitals in Australia have significantly reduced the time people are waiting for treatment to commence in emergency departments.
Liverpool ED - which receives more than 90,000 presentations each year - has halved average time to treatment for triage 2 emergency patients, from 18 minutes to 9 minutes over the past year.
Westmead ED - which receives close to 80,000 presentations each year - has reduced average time to treatment for triage 2 emergency patients by over a third, from 15 minutes to 9 minutes.
Nepean ED - which receives close to 90,000 presentations each year - has seen the percentage of patients transferred from paramedics to ED staff on time increase from 65.1 per cent to 82.2 per cent. This figure also indicates significant a improvement to ambulance access at the hospital.
Triage 2 emergency cases are categorised as people with an imminently life-threatening condition.
People in this category could be suffering from chest pain, difficulty breathing, stroke, or severe fractures.
Meanwhile, Gosford ED - which receives almost 80,000 presentations each year - has seen a reduction in wait times for non-urgent conditions from 86 minutes to 72 minutes.
It follows the Minns Labor Government's investment of half a billion dollars to relieve pressure on NSW EDs - designed to create more pathways to care outside the hospital, as well as improve patient flow inside the hospital - which includes:
- $171.4 million to introduce three additional virtual care services helping 180,000 avoid a trip to the ED;
- $100 million to back in our urgent care services to become a mainstay and key instrument of the health system in providing a pathway to care outside of our hospitals for an estimated 114,000 patients;
- $70 million to expand ED short stay units to improve patient flow to reduce ED wait times by nearly 80,000 hours;
- $15.1 million for an Ambulance Matrix that provides real time hospital data to enable paramedics to transport patients to emergency departments with greater capacity and reducing wait times;
- $31.4 million to increase Hospital in the Home across the state allowing over 3,500 additional patients each year to be cared for in their home rather than a hospital bed; and
- $53.9 million to improve patient flow and support discharge planning by identified patients early on that are suitable to be discharged home with the appropriate supports in place.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Ryan Park:
"I don't want us to get ahead of ourselves because these figures while encouraging, will fluctuate.
"Our EDs continue to grapple with record pressure and demand, and we mustn't forget that.
"These reduced wait times are a testament to the hard working health staff in some of the busiest hospitals in one of the busiest health systems in the world.
"I want to remind people who struggle to find a GP, you can ring HealthDirect on 1800 022 222 where you will speak with a registered nurse who can direct you to an urgent care service or clinic.
"It's free and it could save you waiting unnecessarily in an ED."
