Emergency department patients are having their patience tested at St George Hospital and Sutherland Hospital – when compared to the state average.
Wait times to start treatment and also to be discharged or admitted to hospital are behind the state average at both hospitals.
However, the health district says redevelopments at both hospitals and a record-high flu season may be behind the longer wait times.
The Bureau of Health Information release quarterly statistics on all public hospitals in NSW. The latest statistics for the period April to June 2017 were recently released.
The statistics were similar to the first quarter of this year which also revealed concerns around wait times at both hospitals.
The hospitals were again behind the state average when it came to the percentage of patients starting their treatment on time at the ED. Sutherland Hospital was particularly slow – with more than one in three patients left waiting longer than they should to start treatment (36.4 per cent).
Both hospitals were also lagging behind the state average when it came to the percentage of patients who spent four hours or more in the ED (full statistics below).
A South Eastern Sydney Local Health District spokesperson said the $277 million redevelopment of St George Hospital and $62 million redevelopment of Sutherland Hospital should improve these statistics, when the redevelopments are completed. The redevelopments are on schedule to be completed in October and November respectively.
“The hospitals’ redevelopments have been designed to meet the needs of the growing population.
“At Sutherland Hospital a new and expanded emergency department, including a short-stay unit and dedicated children’s emergency unit, will assist in patient flow,” the spokesperson said.
“At St George, the redevelopment will provide an additional eight operating suites and increased Intensive Care Unit with 52 beds and an additional 128 inpatient beds, which will assist in moving patients out of ED and through the hospital.”
The spokesperson said the hospitals had also experienced an influx in patients.
“St George and Sutherland hospitals have experienced a significant rise in ED presentations during the April to June 2017 quarter compared to the same period last year, due to Australia experiencing its worst flu season on record.
“Compared to the same period last year, St George Hospital has seen an extra 845 patients (4.6 per cent) attending the ED and Sutherland Hospital has seen an extra 619 more patients (5.4 per cent) presenting to the ED.”
The spokesperson said St George Hospital had introduced an additional specialist to co-ordinate patient flow within the ED.
Patients with less urgent conditions are encouraged to visit their GP in the first instance. People can also phone Healthdirect Australia (1800 022 222), a free telephone triage and advice line staffed by registered nurses 24 hours a day.
The spokesperson said it was important to stress that people who were experiencing heart and breathing problems or who felt they needed urgent medical attention should always attend their closest ED or call 000.
Wait times in emergency departments (April to June 2017):
Percentage of patients whose treatment started on time:
NSW hospitals: 75.6 per cent (of 663,942 patients)
St George Hospital: 71.6 per cent (of 19,249 patients)
Sutherland Hospital: 63.6 per cent (of 12,700 patients)
Percentage of patients who spent four hours or less in ED:
NSW hospitals: 73.1 per cent (of 663,942 patients)
St George Hospital: 64.2 per cent (of 19,249 patients)
Sutherland Hospital: 69.3 per cent (of 12,700 patients)
*Averages are median averages.
**The majority of patients who visit the ED are treated and discharged. Patients who require admission to hospital from the ED usually have more complex health needs than those who are treated in the ED and discharged. Patients whose ED visit ends in admission to hospital therefore often spend longer periods in the ED.
