State opposition leader Kellie Sloane has seized on Bureau of Health statistics that reveal Shoalhaven Hospital is the worst in the state for treating patients within target time frames.
Only one in four patients were treated within the required time, while half of all ambulance patients face a delay of half an hour or more, according to Ms Sloane.
“These figures have dropped, and we need to understand why Shoalhaven hospital is faring so badly compared to the rest of the state.” said the Liberal leader.
“These are people who really need that care, the T2 patients as we call them.”
Ms Sloane said ambulance ramping is also at crisis point.
“When it comes to ramping at that particular hospital, (only) half of all people are getting into the hospital within half an hour.
“That’s not good enough.”
The hospital is currently undergoing a $440 million dollar redevelopment that the NSW government says will deliver “contemporary and expanded hospital services” and integrated health facilities for the Illawarra-Shoalhaven regions.
The upgrade is expected to provide the majority of emergency, critical care, acute, subacute and non-admitted services locally, reducing the need to transfer patients to Wollongong and Sydney.
The Emergency Wait website, which tracks hospital wait times in real time, says Shoalhaven hospital has 16 emergency beds or treatment spaces, and sees an average of five people in the Emergency Department between 10am and 12pm.
Image: artist’s render of the redeveloped Shoalhaven hospital (supplied)
