Emergency department remains under pressure
THOUSANDS more patients are seeking medical support at Toowoomba’s only public emergency department.
Presentations at the Toowoomba Hospital ED jumped 3.3 per cent in the 12 months to March 31, 2018 as 52,751 people passed through the doors.
Queensland Health data shows about 68 per cent of patients were treated within the recommended timeframe.
Some lower priority patients waited 28 minutes in May, 2018.
“A higher percentage of patients were seen within clinically recommended timeframes than during the previous year,” Toowoomba Hospital executive director Shirley-Anne Gardiner said.
Ms Gardiner said management “constantly” tried to improve waiting times but a growing population would have an impact on the ED.
“It is expected that activity will continue to increase and strategies are being put in place to address this. Short, medium and long-term planning for managing increasing activity occurs on a continual basis,” she said.
“Our priority is always to provide the safest possible patient-centred care to local communities and the HHS continues to develop innovative ways to manage increases in demand for services.”
OUR PRIORITY IS ALWAYS TO PROVIDE THE SAFEST POSSIBLE PATIENT-CENTRED CARE TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES.
SHIRLEY-ANNE GARDINER