Southern NSW Local Health District is among the state’s top performers for emergency department and planned surgery performance, despite treating a high number of critically unwell patients during the July to September 2024 quarter.
SNSWLHD Chief Executive Margaret Bennett praised the efforts of staff in providing high quality care to patients during the late winter period.
“This latest Bureau of Health Information Healthcare Quarterly report for July to September 2024 shows our District was among the state’s top performers for key ED indicators including the percentage of patients starting their treatment on time, leaving the ED within four hours, time to transfer care from ambulance to hospital staff, and elective surgery wait times,” Ms Bennett said.
“I want to extend my sincere gratitude to our dedicated staff members - these impressive results are a testament to their hard work.”
From July to September 2024, there were 29,903 attendances to EDs across SNSWLHD.
Of the almost 30,000 presentations, there were 3,963 by patients with an imminently life-threatening condition (emergency or triage category 2), an increase of 16.4 per cent when compared to the same quarter in 2023. There were also 10,560 patients presenting with potentially life-threatening conditions (urgent or triage category 3), an 11.6 per cent increase when compared with the same quarter in 2023.
Despite the high demand, more than seven in 10 patients (76.8 per cent) started their treatment on time, which is better than the NSW average (61.3 per cent). The majority of patients (71.9 percent) also left the ED within four hours of arriving, also better than the NSW average (54.7 per cent).
Pleasingly, almost all patients (92.7 per cent) were transferred from ambulance to ED staff within the 30-minute benchmark time, which is well above the NSW average (77.5 per cent) and the third highest result in the state.
The District also performed 1,345 planned surgeries during the second quarter of 2024. Southern NSW LHD also had one of the best results in the state for the percentage of planned surgeries performed on time, with 99.7 per cent of patients receiving their planned surgery on time.
“Our staff have implemented a range of improvement strategies over the past 12-18 months to achieve these impressive results,” Ms Bennett said.
“Strategies include daily huddles across all facilities, ongoing ED education programs to strengthen nursing triage protocols, regular reviews of clerical processes and systems, as well as management of discharges and delays.
“The most important outcome of this work is that patients in Southern NSW are given the very best care, as quickly as possible."
All patients are seen and triaged on arrival at the ED and, as always, the most seriously unwell patients are treated first. During busy times, people with less urgent conditions will experience longer wait times when there are large numbers of seriously unwell patients being prioritised for emergency care.
SNSWLHD continues to remind everyone to support us by saving emergency departments and ambulances for saving lives. If an illness or injury is not serious or life-threatening, we encourage people to call Healthdirect Australia on 1800 022 222, for 24-hour telephone health advice.
INDIVIDUAL HOSPITAL RESULTS
At Batemans Bay District Hospital there were 2,906 ED attendances between July to September 2024. The majority of patients (84.4 per cent) started treatment on time, which is better than the average for hospitals of a similar size in NSW (77.3 per cent). Almost all patients (96.5 per cent) were transferred from paramedics to ED staff within the 30-minute benchmark. Batemans Bay District Hospital performed 112 planned surgery procedures during the quarter. All planned surgeries (100 per cent) were performed on time.
At Moruya District Hospital there were 3,081 ED attendances during the July to September 2024 quarter. More than seven in 10 patients (77.2 per cent) started their treatment on time, which is in line with the average for hospitals of a similar size in NSW (77.3 per cent). Almost all patients (93.9 per cent) were transferred from paramedics to the ED staff within the 30-minute benchmark. Moruya District Hospital performed 192 planned surgeries during the quarter, and all (100 per cent) were performed on time.
At Goulburn Base Hospital there were 5,841 ED attendances during the quarter. More than nine in 10 patients (91.3 per cent) were transferred from ambulance to ED staff within the 30-minute benchmark time, which is in line with the average for hospitals of a similar size in NSW (88.2 per cent). During the July to September 2024 quarter, 405 planned surgeries were performed and almost all (99.5 per cent) were performed on time.
At Cooma Hospital there were 3,143 ED attendances during the quarter. More than nine in 10 patients (90.5 per cent) started treatment on time, which is well above the average for hospitals of a similar size in NSW (77.3 per cent). Almost all patients (97.5 per cent) were transferred from ambulance to ED staff within the 30-minute benchmark, which is also better than the average for hospitals of a similar size in NSW (93.3 per cent). The majority of patients (78.5 per cent) left the ED within four hours, which is in line with the average for comparable hospitals in NSW (77 per cent). There were 60 planned surgery procedures performed during the July to September 2024 quarter and all (100 per cent) were performed on time.
At Queanbeyan Hospital there were 6,795 ED attendances during the July to September 2024 quarter. More than eight in 10 patients (81.2 per cent) started treatment on time, which is better than the average for hospitals of a similar size in NSW (77.3 per cent). More than eight in 10 patients (81.5 per cent) left the ED within four hours of arriving – also better than the average for comparable hospitals in NSW (77 per cent). Almost all patients (99.3 per cent) were transferred from ambulance to ED staff within the 30-minute benchmark, also better than the average for hospitals of a similar size in NSW (93.3 per cent). The hospital performed 199 planned surgery procedures during the quarter, with almost all (99.5 per cent) performed on time.
At South East Regional Hospital (SERH) there were 5,749 ED attendances during the July to September 2024 quarter. More than eight in 10 patients (87.4 per cent) were transferred from ambulance to ED staff within the 30-minute benchmark, which is in line with the average for hospitals of a similar size in NSW (88.2 per cent). There were 377 planned surgeries performed during the quarter, with almost all procedures (99.7 per cent) performed on time.
MEDIA: SNSWLHD-media@health.nsw.gov.au 0467 819 506