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| Overcrowding in NSW hospitals ‘worst’ some doctors have seen as winter illnesses clog emergency departments | Overcrowding in NSW hospitals ‘worst’ some doctors have seen as winter illnesses clog emergency departments |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| State health minister Ryan Park says there have been more than 45,000 presentations to EDs over the past five days | State health minister Ryan Park says there have been more than 45,000 presentations to EDs over the past five days |
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| The New South Wales health minister has encouraged people to call the health hotline instead of going to emergency departments as a spike in winter illnesses has doctors saying overcrowding is the “worst they have ever seen”. | The New South Wales health minister has encouraged people to call the health hotline instead of going to emergency departments as a spike in winter illnesses has doctors saying overcrowding is the “worst they have ever seen”. |
| In a statement on Thursday, Ryan Park said there had been more than 45,000 presentations to EDs over the past five days. | |
| Monday peaked with almost 10,000 presentations, a 9.2% increase from the same time in July last year, Park said. | Monday peaked with almost 10,000 presentations, a 9.2% increase from the same time in July last year, Park said. |
| The previous week there were more than 900 presentations for influenza-like illness in NSW, the statement said. | The previous week there were more than 900 presentations for influenza-like illness in NSW, the statement said. |
| Park said officials were working on “relieving pressure on our busy emergency departments by creating more alternative pathways to care outside the hospital”. He encouraged people to call Healthdirect for 24-hour health advice for non-life-threatening conditions. | Park said officials were working on “relieving pressure on our busy emergency departments by creating more alternative pathways to care outside the hospital”. He encouraged people to call Healthdirect for 24-hour health advice for non-life-threatening conditions. |
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| An emergency physician in south-west Sydney, speaking anonymously as a delegate for the doctor’s union, Asmof, said “myself and my colleagues all agree that this has been the worst winter by far, and the level of overcrowding in our ED is the worst we’ve ever seen. | An emergency physician in south-west Sydney, speaking anonymously as a delegate for the doctor’s union, Asmof, said “myself and my colleagues all agree that this has been the worst winter by far, and the level of overcrowding in our ED is the worst we’ve ever seen. |
| “It’s getting worse year on year … we are doing the most that we can. We’re being asked to do more with the same resources. | “It’s getting worse year on year … we are doing the most that we can. We’re being asked to do more with the same resources. |
| “That doesn’t work with a population that is ageing, a population that cannot get a GP appointment.” | “That doesn’t work with a population that is ageing, a population that cannot get a GP appointment.” |
| Park thanked health staff for their work during the “very busy” winter period. He said it was pleasing to see semi-urgent and non-urgent presentations continuing to decrease across NSW EDs. | Park thanked health staff for their work during the “very busy” winter period. He said it was pleasing to see semi-urgent and non-urgent presentations continuing to decrease across NSW EDs. |
| But the NSW faculty chair for the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine, Dr Rhys Ross-Browne, said those lower acuity patients don’t take up a lot of resources in the ED. | |
| He agreed there has been a decline, roughly 10%, in patients with low acuity presentations coming to the ED. He said that reflected a stronger range of alternatives for patients to get unscheduled care outside the ED. | |
| However, he said EDs continue to experience very high numbers of very sick people who take up the majority of resourcing and time but can’t get a bed in another part of the hospital. | |
| “That’s the bulk of our workload – that’s what keeps the emergency department full.” | “That’s the bulk of our workload – that’s what keeps the emergency department full.” |
| According to the bureau of health information, in the first quarter of 2025, the median time a patient is treated and admitted to hospital or transferred to another hospital was eight hours. | According to the bureau of health information, in the first quarter of 2025, the median time a patient is treated and admitted to hospital or transferred to another hospital was eight hours. |
| Ross-Browne said the target is 80% of patients admitted or transferred to admitted hospital should have an ED time of less than six hours. | Ross-Browne said the target is 80% of patients admitted or transferred to admitted hospital should have an ED time of less than six hours. |
| The report showed 10% of people arriving in EDs needing admission to hospital or transfer to another hospital were recorded at almost 22 hours. | |
| Ross-Browne said the source of problem was hospitals don’t have sufficient capacity to meet demand. | |
| Another significant driver, he said, was the large number of patients in acute hospital beds who no longer need hospital care but can’t leave because they don’t have an aged care home or NDIS supported accommodation to go to. | |
| The anonymous emergency physician agreed: “The reason [EDs are] overcrowded is because there are no beds available within the hospital.” | The anonymous emergency physician agreed: “The reason [EDs are] overcrowded is because there are no beds available within the hospital.” |
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| They accused the state government of not investing in the future of public health, “whether it’s through ignorance or … because it’s a political headache”. | |
| Another emergency physician, speaking anonymously as an Asmof delegate, questioned the value in the minister directing people to call Healthdirect, because the nurses can’t examine the person, so they often end up sending them to hospital anyway. | |
| The chief operations officer of Healthdirect, Travis Hodgson, said “many callers are uncertain about the care they need, and our role is to guide them to the most appropriate service for their situation”. | The chief operations officer of Healthdirect, Travis Hodgson, said “many callers are uncertain about the care they need, and our role is to guide them to the most appropriate service for their situation”. |
| He said for callers considering an ED, nurses safely de-escalate that need 61% of the time – instead connecting them to urgent care clinics, their GP, virtual care services or supporting them to self-care. | |
| It comes as the union has been running its campaign – “Can’t see a doctor? Ask the premier” – since their industrial action in April. | It comes as the union has been running its campaign – “Can’t see a doctor? Ask the premier” – since their industrial action in April. |
| Posters with the slogan have been seen in emergency departments. | Posters with the slogan have been seen in emergency departments. |
| Park said “the claims made regarding wait times, beds and staff are unsubstantiated”. | Park said “the claims made regarding wait times, beds and staff are unsubstantiated”. |
| Park said more T2 emergency patients were being treated on time than two years ago and more beds are coming into the health system. | Park said more T2 emergency patients were being treated on time than two years ago and more beds are coming into the health system. |
| He said 2,500 nurses will be recruited as part of safe staffing ratios, and there are almost 3,000 more health workers in the public system than a year ago. | |
| Park said there has been a significant escalation in the number of people waiting for aged care or NDIS placements in NSW public hospitals, which the system was not designed for. | Park said there has been a significant escalation in the number of people waiting for aged care or NDIS placements in NSW public hospitals, which the system was not designed for. |
| Do you know more? Have you had a long wait time in an ED? Contact natasha.may@theguardian.com | Do you know more? Have you had a long wait time in an ED? Contact natasha.may@theguardian.com |