One third of patients presenting to Campbelltown Hospital’s emergency department are still not leaving within the desired four-hour period.
The statistics were revealed in the Bureau of Health Information’s Hospital Quarterly (April-June, 2020) report.
There were 4,000 fewer patients – about 20 per cent less – that presented to the emergency department compared to the same period 12 months earlier.
Yet there was very little improvement in terms of meeting bench marks.
Shadow Minister for Western Sydney and Member for Campbelltown, Greg Warren, said the statistics were still nowhere good enough.
“It is obvious Covid-19 had an impact on the number of people presenting to Campbelltown Hospital’s emergency department,” he said.
“Nevertheless, it is extremely concerning that one third of patients were still not leaving the department within the desired four-hour period.
“This is a bench mark established by the state government that the hospital – and many others throughout Western Sydney – continue to fail to meet.
“The hard-working, passionate and dedicated staff at hospitals like Campbelltown are not to blame for the appalling results,” said Mr Warren, pictured outside the hospital..
“A lack of staff, resources and support from the state government are the reason the emergency department continually struggles to meet the ever-increasing demand placed on it by patients.
“Since this government came to power in 2011 the average number of people attending the emergency department every quarter has risen by about 7,000 – close to 80 people per day.
“But the number of staff, and the resources and support afforded to those staff, has not increased with that surge in patients.
“A big, brand new hospital is going to be completely redundant unless it is staffed adequately.
“The state government refuse to do that now so what hope to we have when the upgrades of Campbelltown Hospital are complete?”
