Statement from AMA (NSW) president Dr Kathryn Austin

Today’s NSW Bureau of Health Information quarterly report on public hospital and ambulance activity highlights a system struggling to cope.

Presentations to emergency departments across NSW were up 2.1 per cent on the same quarter last year, while triage category 2 and 3 presentations were higher than they have been since BHI reporting began in 2010. The report also found only 61.3 per cent of patients started their treatment on time – the lowest since 2010.

There were almost 790,000 attendances at emergency departments, including about 200,000 ambulance arrivals – again a record since 2010.

There were fewer elective surgeries performed this quarter than the same time last year and almost 4000 people waited longer than recommended on NSW’s surgical lists in September.

This is an exhausted health system going backwards and an urgent injection of funds is needed.

We have called on the NSW Government to provide additional funds for local health districts across NSW to meet current activity, but it has fallen on deaf ears.

Playing the blame game with the Federal Government over general practitioners is also wearing thin. We need urgent investment in general practice.

The health workforce cannot continue to do more with less. Patients deserve better and so do our hardworking health staff

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