Patients at the Shoalhaven District Hospital were faced with busier emergency departments this year than last, according to the recent Bureau of Health Information Health Quarterly report for the April to June quarter.
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The report revealed only 60 per cent of people who attend the hospital's Emergency Department start their treatment on time and 42 per cent of patients are spending over four hours in the ED.
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The data shows bed block has also gotten worse since last year, with more than 26 per cent of patients waiting longer than 30 minutes to be transferred from ambulances into the ED.
This leaves paramedics stuck waiting in corridors instead of responding to emergencies. The data reveals this is an increase of 12 per cent since the same quarter last year.
Shadow Minister for Health Ryan Park is calling on the government to urgently increase the resources provided to Shoalhaven Hospital to address long waiting times.
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Mr Park added that the Shoalhaven Hospital "was not coping with the increased demand" and that lives were being put at risk.
The waiting time for a patient categorised as T2 Emergency is worse compared to the same time last year, with only 40 per cent of these patients receiving treatment on time, according to the report.
These are patients with conditions that are considered life-threatening, inclduing those with chest pains and potential stroke patients.
Mr Park said these figures show a "health care system that is very sick".
"Shoalhaven Hospital has some of the worst BHI results in the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District, and all of the indicators are worse than last year." Mr Park said.
This data comes as the Master Plan for the redevelopment of Shoalhaven District Memorial Hospital was revealed to the public on Tuesday.
Mr Park said the BHI figures highlight the urgent need for immediate increase in resources for a hospital that is already at breaking point.
"This announcement of the masterplan has been a long time coming. Shoalhaven Hospital it already under enormous pressure. It is simply not fit for purpose now." Mr Park said
"The Government needs to get this redevelopment underway as a matter of urgency.
"We were promised work would commence on site in 2021, but now we are told that has been delayed until next year. That is not a good start." Mr Park said.
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