Skip to player
Skip to main content
Skip to footer
Search
Connect
Watch fullscreen
Like
Comments
Bookmark
Share
Add to Playlist
Report
New data shows average ED wait time is well above target set by experts
ABC NEWS (Australia)
Follow
1/17/2025
The number of Australians waiting in hospital emergency departments for admission to a ward is about three times the target set by experts, new data shows. Doctors say the delays are often caused by the inability to discharge vulnerable patients.
Category
📺
TV
Transcript
Display full video transcript
00:00
Wayne Jones is recovering from brain surgery.
00:05
Basically the scars healed nicely.
00:08
But Wayne's time in a Perth emergency department was anything but nice.
00:13
It was standing room only.
00:15
It all took about four hours waiting there.
00:18
No seats, I was just propped up on my crutches, standing there with my daughter.
00:25
His brain tumour meant he had limited mobility.
00:28
I was glad to get on the examination bed and have a bit of a rest for a while.
00:33
But many of us are waiting much longer than Wayne.
00:36
New data from the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine
00:39
reveals 31% of us are waiting more than eight hours in metro hospitals to be admitted.
00:45
In regional areas it's 32% of people.
00:48
The recommendation from the college is that no more than 10% of those people should wait that long.
00:53
College President and Director of Emergency at Alice Springs Hospital, Stephen Gawley,
00:58
says patient safety is at risk.
01:00
The longer people are waiting for a bed and waiting for the definitive care in the hospital itself,
01:05
the higher the rates of morbidity and even mortality goes up.
01:09
He says hospitals are jammed because beds are filled by older Australians
01:12
who can't get a place in aged care.
01:14
They often stay in hospital for quite a prolonged period of time.
01:17
When I say a long period of time, that could be months or in some cases up to a year or more.
01:22
To address this issue, the government will soon launch a $57 million program
01:27
to help dementia patients transition from hospital to an appropriate aged care facility.
01:33
The scheme will start in Adelaide and Hobart before being rolled out across the country.
01:38
Doctors say endemic staff shortages are the biggest challenge to cutting wait times.
01:43
Something needs to change and it probably should have changed 10 years ago.
01:47
It will take a lot to restore Wayne Jones' confidence in the hospital system.
01:52
For more UN videos visit www.un.org
Recommended
1:42
|
Up next
Isolated patients’ risk being left out from care with changes to national disability insurance
ABC NEWS (Australia)
today
1:43
Cars raced from Australia’s most western end to the top end sold for cancer research
ABC NEWS (Australia)
today
2:02
South Australian government invest in autism inclusion teachers
ABC NEWS (Australia)
today
1:58
Adelaide beachgoers urged to report dead and washed-up sea life
ABC NEWS (Australia)
today
1:37
Magpie named ‘Jellybean’ credited to saving West Australian woman’s wife
ABC NEWS (Australia)
today
0:37
Laufey set to release album in August
PTVPhilippines
2 days ago
2:09
Emergency wait times blow out as hospitals struggle to discharge patients
ABC NEWS (Australia)
1/17/2025
1:51
People share their A&E experiences outside Medway Maritime Hospital
KentOnline / KMTV
4/14/2025
1:59
WA has Australia’s worst wait times of urgent presentations to public hospital emergency departments, report finds
ABC NEWS (Australia)
2/8/2025
0:56
Patients forced to lie on hospital corridor floor during 45 hour wait for a bed
NationalWorld.com
12/19/2023
1:44
Derry A&E staff in plea amid huge pressures
Derry Journal
12/17/2024
2:37
Portuguese hospitals hang by a thread with closed A&E departments, lack of staff and long queues
euronews (in English)
2/13/2025
3:25
Kent dentist warns staff shortage means patients will struggle to access NHS care
KentOnline / KMTV
11/19/2021
0:24
Crystal Papali'i strip and score
The Canberra Times
yesterday
0:30
Parental Guidance returns
The Canberra Times
yesterday
0:22
Kaeo Weekes' try against Knights. FootageNRL.com
The Canberra Times
yesterday
0:50
Former Yellow Wiggle Emma launches Frozen show for school holidays
Australian Community Media
2 days ago
4:24
Unseasonal rain in Queensland, coastal low off NSW
Australian Community Media
2 days ago
1:21
Jonas Sultan returns to the ring to face Katsuma Akitsugi of Japan
PTVPhilippines
2 days ago
2:20
Cooper Flagg selected as number 1 pick by the Mavericks in the 2025 NBA Draft
PTVPhilippines
2 days ago
4:52
Looming price changes to national disability insurance worry providers
ABC NEWS (Australia)
today
1:47
NDIS pricing limits for allied health will be set on Tuesday could disadvantage remote and regional communities
ABC NEWS (Australia)
yesterday
1:59
Cancer survivor forced interstate to treat chronic pain
ABC NEWS (Australia)
yesterday
1:40
Chickens cross state borders for families lining up to start their own chook farm
ABC NEWS (Australia)
yesterday
2:26
Rising food costs and shortage of volunteers could shut school canteens
ABC NEWS (Australia)
yesterday