More than one in four patients presenting to NSW emergency departments (ED) saying they wouldn’t be there if they could access a general practitioner (GP).
According to the Bureau of Health Information (BHI), 28 per cent of ED patients surveyed said they would have gone to a GP to treat their condition but had no choice other than to go to a hospital.
Many people are presenting EDs with non-life-threatening conditions because they cannot find an appointment within a reasonable time or a GP that bulk-bills.
It comes as the latest BHI data for the September 2024 quarter shows immense pressure on hospitals in the Western Sydney Local Health District.
There were 56,151 ED attendances – up 4.7 per cent from the same quarter last year. There were 16,558 ambulance arrivals – up 3.4 per cent. Semi-urgent and non-urgent presentations across NSW have continued a downward trend.
Of the more than 787,000 attendances to NSW EDs, 281,912 were presentations by patients in the semi-urgent category (triage category 4), and 58,023 in the non-urgent category (triage category 5) – a combined decrease of 2,451 presentations in these categories compared with the same quarter in 2023.
These conditions can include minor aches and pains, sprained ankles, migraines, earaches, rashes, coughs and colds.
102,000 people were diverted away from EDs during this period due to HealthDirect – a phoneline which directs people to a registered nurse who can guide them to a care pathway outside of the hospital.
This compares to 72,000 people diverted away from EDs during the same quarter last year. The NSW Government is rolling out its comprehensive ED relief package, which includes:
• $171.4M to introduce three additional virtual care services helping 180,000 avoid a trip to the ED;
• $100M to back in our urgent care services to become a mainstay and key instrument of the health system in providing a pathway to care outside of our hospitals for an estimated 114,000 patients.
• $70M to expand emergency department short stay units to improve patient flow to reduce ED wait times by nearly 80,000 hours.
• $15.1M for an Ambulance Matrix that provides real time hospital data to enable paramedics to transport patients to emergency departments with greater capacity and reduce wait times.
• $31.4M to increase Hospital in the Home across the state allowing over 3,500 additional patients each year to be cared for in their home rather than a hospital bed.
• $53.9M to improve patient flow and support discharge planning by identified patients early on that are suitable to be discharged home with the appropriate supports in place.
Edmond Atalla, Member for Mount Druitt said: “The Commonwealth Government is working hard to address the current shortage of GP’s crisis. We continue to suffer the impact of the Federal Liberals’ and Nationals’ freeze on the Medicare rebate, unfortunately the damage done cannot be reversed overnight and will take time.
“The Commonwealth GP’s shortage has placed severe pressure on our hospitals as the community has little choice but to present at their local Emergency Department’s for non-emergency conditions.
“The NSW Government is making significant investments in both easing pressure on our EDs as well as creating alternative pathways to access care outside of the hospital system.”
To access HealthDirect go to: www.healthdirect.gov.au
