DOCTORS DIAGNOSE SYMPTOMS OF OUR EMERGENCY CRISIS
A CAIRNS-BASED doctor believes an ambulance ramping crisis at the Cairns Hospital is a very visible symptom of a critical staffing shortage within the emergency department.
On May 17, more than 12 ambulances crammed the carpark outside Cairns
Hospital’s emergency department as triage demand surged well beyond the facility’s ability to cope.
Most days at peak times up to six ambulances can be seen at ED loading bays waiting for doctors to become available.
Australian Medical Association Queensland council member Dr David Shepherd said ambulances waiting on Cairns Esplanade was never an issue when he came to Cairns.
“When I got here in the ’90s, it didn’t occur,” he said.
“I have worked here in Cairns for more than 25 years and my feeling is the ramping has got worse over time.”
The orthopaedic surgeon said something had to be done to rein in wait times.
“All these patients are coming in the front door and they are not being dealt with in a timely manner,” Dr Shepherd said. “How much is increased demand and how much is reduced throughput, it’s hard for me to judge.”
Cairns-based Together union Queensland senior vice-president Dr Sandy Donald said overcrowding at Cairns emergency department puts doctors under pressure.
“It is very wearing for ED staff to start a shift knowing that there are no beds available and any new admission will require multiple patient moves,” he said.
“It is well documented that delays in getting patients into ED and delays moving admitted patients into an appropriate ward bed increase morbidity and mortality. It is also obvious that having a large proportion of local ambulances lined up outside the ED is frustrating to paramedics and causes delays in their response to emergencies.
“Cairns needs a large increase in available beds just to meet current need, with demand for beds increasing each year (and) that requires major building works.”