Latest data from the Bureau of Health Information (BHI) reveals that the Central Coast has slipped to become the second worse Local Health District (LHD) in NSW for emergency treatment and elective surgery wait-times.
It also exposes a large increase in ambulance arrival times.
Central Coast hospitals recorded the second lowest result in NSW for emergency department treatment times, falling behind every other Local Health District except Western Sydney.
At both Gosford and Wyong Hospital Emergency Departments almost half of the patients didn’t receive treatment on time (48.1 per cent at Gosford and 49.8 per cent at Wyong).
Central Coast Local Health District saw an average wait time of one hour and 20 minutes for transfer from ambulance to hospital care, compared with the NSW average of 56 minutes.
Elective surgery wait times were also the second worst in the state, with wait times standing at 17 days for urgent surgeries and 401 days for non-urgent.
More than half of those calling for an ambulance in the region waited longer than the benchmark time of 15 minutes, a worse result than in October-December 2021 during the tail end of the height of COVID-19.
The region’s Labor MPs say the figures show an ailing healthcare network is impacting our hospitals.
Labor has unveiled a health package set to address the state’s health crisis which includes: $175M to recruit 1,200 nurses and midwives within the first four years of a Labor Government; a reform of the current nurse rostering system’ removing the public sector wage cap which limits pay increases for nurses, paramedics and health workers; and $150M to fund an additional 500 paramedics over four years.
Member for Wyong David Harris said the Government had “dropped the ball”, with hospital staff and the community suffering the consequences, and Member for Swansea Yasmin Catley said patients and health staff have been crying out for help, but the Government has failed to act.
Member for The Entrance David Mehan said the figures were further proof that Long Jetty Hospital needs to be upgraded and Member for Gosford Liesl Tesch said Labor’s policy would see more nurses employed at Gosford and Wyong hospitals for a “fair and decent wage”.
Labor candidate for Terrigal Sam Boughton said many nurses had left the profession, with health workers feeling exhausted and overworked following years of COVID-19.
Central Coast Local Health District (CCLHD) Chief Executive Scott McLachlan said the latest quarterly report showed October-December 2022 was “another incredibly busy period for Central Coast Local Health District” with unprecedented demand for high-level emergency care.
But the report also showed CCLHD had made steady progress on reducing elective surgery wait lists throughout 2022, he said.
“From October to December 2022, CCLHD performed 2,826 elective surgeries, which is an increase of seven per cent compared with the preceding July to September 2022 quarter,” McLachlan said.
“Throughout the final quarter of 2022, there were 38,804 emergency department attendances across both Wyong and Gosford hospitals.
“Adding to the pressure on staff was the increased complexity and urgency of patients presenting to our EDs.
“Of the almost 39,000 ED attendances during this quarter, 5,832 were by patients with an imminently life-threatening condition (triage category 2) – this is the highest number of patients in this category in any quarter since BHI reporting began.”
McLachlan said strategies in place to improve timeliness of care included: active recruitment campaigns to bolster the workforce; working to support patient discharges earlier in the day where appropriate; and implementation of new models of care to support patients to receive the right care in the right place earlier.
This included a new medical assessment unit model for Gosford Hospital, an Elderly and Frail Connected Care Pathway including inpatient and community models to access specialised staff and an increase in Wyong Hospital’s Hospital in the Home services as an alternative to admission.
Almost half (47 per cent) of the 18,000 emergency department presentations at Gosford and Wyong hospitals were in the semi-urgent (triage four) and non-urgent (triage five) categories, McLachlan said.
“During busy times, those with less urgent conditions will experience longer wait times while staff treat the most seriously unwell patients first,” he said.
“CCLHD continues to remind everyone to support us by saving emergency departments and ambulances for saving lives.
“If an illness or injury is not serious or life-threatening, we encourage people to call Healthdirect Australia on 1800 022 222, for 24-hour telephone health advice.”
Terry Collins