The Health Minister insists the most critical patients are being seen on time despite unprecedented pressures on Gold Coast emergency departments.
New figures reveal Gold Coast University Hospital and Robina Hospital are experiencing a record number of patients in their ED’s.
Throughout the April to June 2023 quarter, our ED’s saw 46,816 presentations, and a further 15,500 in the month of July.
All 615 Category 1 patients, which are the most urgent cases, were seen by a clinician within two minutes of arriving at Gold Coast hospitals.
The life-threatening presentations also increased by 19% compared to the same quarter last year.
In total, 73% of all cases were seen within clinically recommended times, during the June 2023 quarter.
The median wait time for treatment across all categories of patients was just 12 minutes.
The five longest emergency department wait times between April and June were 9.5 hours, 8.15 hours, 7.45 hours, 7.40 hours, and 7.35 hours.
The State Government is reminding less serious patients to access treatment from more appropriate sources – such as GPs, pharmacies, Satellite Hospitals, or Urgent Care Clinics.
It follows claims many people are turning up to the Uni Hospital, which is one of the buesiest ED’s in the country, with ailments or injuries that could be treated more appropriately by a GP or pharmacist.
Some of these presentations included nausea, sprains, limb and joint pain, minor cuts and removal of stiches, who didn’t need to attend an emergency department.
Health Minister Shannon Fentiman says hospital emergency departments are facing unprecedented demand, with more presentations than ever before.
“Last financial year, Queensland EDs saw over 100 presentations every single day for a UTI. These are not the kinds of emergency conditions our EDs are designed to treat,” Minister Fentiman says.
“We know that we have had a decade of underinvestment in GPs and primary care, which is meaning more people are arriving at our EDs,
“I’m grateful that the Albanese government is tripling the bulk billing incentive. The combination of our Satellite Hospitals with Urgent Care Clinics will provide more alternative ways for Queenslanders to get the care they need, close to home.”
From 2022 through to April 2023, Hospital Emergency departments across Queensland saw presentations including:
- 36,911 presentations for a UTI
- 28,064 presentations for attention to surgical dresses and stitches
- 11,995 presentations for an ear infection
- 6,662 requests for repeat medication prescriptions
- 3,764 requests for a medical certificate
- 1,056 presentations for an ingrown toenail
- 280 presentations for sunburn
- 79 presentations for hiccups
