State Member for Wallsend, Ms Sonia Hornery MP, has called on the Government to fix the crisis facing the Emergency Department at the John Hunter Hospital, instead of building new stadiums in Sydney.
Waiting times in NSW hospitals in emergency departments have blown out, with data from the Bureau of Health Information listing the John Hunter Hospital as one of the worst performers.
At the John Hunter Hospital, more than 37.4 percent of patients waited for more than four hours in the January to March 2018 reporting quarter, well above the state average.
Statewide, 25.6 percent of patients waited longer than four hours in Emergency Departments.
Quotes attributable to Member for Wallsend, Sonia Hornery
“Patients at the John Hunter Hospital have some of the longest waits in Emergency Departments in Australia.”
“Well over a third of all the people who visited the Emergency Department at the John Hunter waited longer than 4 hours for treatment. This is completely unacceptable.”
“These figures clearly show the health and hospital system at the John Hunter Hospital is under enormous pressure and is just not coping.”
“Staff are telling me that they are at breaking point. There are low staffing levels, and a steep rise in patient numbers during this record flu season has left many staff feeling burnt out and exhausted. Morale is at an all-time low.”
“But instead of investing in more staff, better access and improved conditions, this Government wants to spend more than $2 billion on stadiums.”
“The Government needs to get its priorities right. People’s health should be its focus, not stadiums.”