Emergency departments at some of New South Wales’ (NSW) busiest hospitals, including Liverpool, Westmead, and Nepean, have seen notable improvements in patient wait times over the past year. The NSW government has reported that Liverpool Hospital has successfully reduced its average treatment time for triage 2 emergency patients from 18 minutes to just nine minutes. Similarly, Westmead Hospital has also decreased its wait times for triage 2 cases from 15 minutes to nine minutes.
Nepean Hospital has reported a significant increase in timely transfers from ambulances to hospital staff, with 82.2% of patients being accommodated within the appropriate timeframe, up from 65.1%. Triage 2 cases represent patients facing serious health risks, such as those with severe chest pain, difficulty breathing, strokes, or major fractures.
Despite these improvements, Health Minister Ryan Park has cautioned that emergency departments remain under substantial strain due to ongoing high demand. He stated, “I don’t want us to get ahead of ourselves because these figures, while encouraging, will fluctuate.” Park emphasised the continuous pressures faced by the health system, highlighting the dedication of healthcare workers operating in one of the busiest health systems globally.
The encouraging results follow a significant investment of $500 million from both NSW and federal governments aimed at enhancing the public health infrastructure. Furthermore, the establishment of urgent care clinics has allowed around 114,000 patients in NSW to receive necessary medical attention outside traditional emergency settings, alleviating some pressure on the hospitals.
In summary, while NSW hospitals have made progress in reducing emergency wait times, the overall healthcare system is still grappling with record-demand challenges, necessitating ongoing efforts and resources to ensure patient care is effectively managed.