Hill’s Emergency Departments worst in the Nation
Feb 06, 2012
Martin Hamilton-Smith MP
Shadow Minister for Health & Ageing
Shadow Minister for Mental Health
Shadow Minister for Substance Abuse
Hill’s Emergency Departments worst in the Nation
SA is the worst performing State in the nation on Emergency Department (ED) waiting times with only 59.4 per cent of patients being treated and out of the ED within four hours.
“A Federal Government review of emergency access targets by an expert panel under the National Partnership Agreement has exposed Health Minister John Hill’s failure to get results in our hospitals at Emergency Departments,” Shadow Minister for Health Martin Hamilton-Smith said.
“These are the facts Minister John Hill wants concealed away or explained with spin.
“In WA, where 71.3 per cent are treated and seen within four hours, that State has recorded a 13 per cent reduction in deaths in three of Perth’s largest hospitals since the four hour rule for treatment was introduced. How many lives could have been saved in SA if we were at that standard?
“All other States significantly outperformed SA. Why can’t Health Minister Hill get results?
“The most recent figures on ED flow target data by the SA Department of Health’s Operations Division reveal an alarming problem in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital where only 26 per cent of emergency patients were treated within four hours.
“Similarly, at the Lyell McEwin Hospital only 49 per cent were treated and out of ED within the crucial four hour timeframe and at the Royal Adelaide Hospital the figure was only 50 per cent.
“These figures are a disgrace and reflect poorly on the State Labor Government who have had 10 years to get it right.
“Last week Minister Hill was boasting about how much tax payer’s money he was spending on health. These figures prove that there is waste and a lack of results.
“This follows information I revealed on the 13 January 2012 that emergency patients wait on average 41.5 hours, nearly two days, for follow on surgery after treatment in ED. It also follows revelations about large numbers of Urgent (10 minutes) and Semi Urgent (30 minutes) casualties not being seen on time. These results are a disgrace!” Mr Hamilton-Smith said.