Doctors call for NSW Health to act as some patients wait more than a day in emergency
ASMOF NSW - The Doctors Union
Findings from the Bureau of Health Information (BHI) reveal that 1 in 10 patients admitted or transferred to hospital spent at least 25 hours in the emergency department
Doctors across NSW demand that the Minns Government properly fund the state’s public hospitals and emergency departments after independent findings from the Bureau of Health Information (BHI) revealed that one in 10 patients spent in excess of 25 hours in the emergency department.
To address these unacceptable wait times, doctors are calling for a funded plan to increase medical staffing, hospital bed capacity and the services needed to move patients safely through the hospital system and out of emergency departments.
ASMOF NSW President Dr Nicholas Spooner has said, “forcing patients to spend more than 25 hours in emergency departments is unacceptable. The Minns Government must urgently act to address this issue.”
“NSW Health’s target is at least four in five patients admitted or transferred to emergency departments to leave within six hours. The data shows that fewer than one in three meet that timeframe. This indicates a crisis in NSW Health and patients will feel the consequences.”
Nearly half (43%) of triage category 2 (urgent) patients did not commence treatment within the clinically recommended 10-minute timeframe – seriously ill patients are not receiving treatment soon enough.
Dr Spooner continued, “Doctors have been raising these issues for years. The State Government must now act. NSW Hospitals need enough staff, beds and capacity to move patients safely through the system, but doctors are being asked to do more with less.
“The Minns Government is failing its own benchmarks. This is simply unacceptable. The Government must urgently invest in our public hospitals. NSW patients deserve better.”
About us:
ASMOF NSW is the industrial and professional organisation representing salaried doctors across New South Wales. As a branch of the national trade union, ASMOF NSW is committed to safeguarding the rights of doctors by promoting their broader interests, providing representation before industrial tribunals, supporting workplace negotiations and advocating for a robust public health system.
Contact details:
Luis Comissi, Media & Comms Officer – 0434 405 594