Health · Healthcare & Policy · 4 hrs ago
608 patients spent more than 24 hours in ACT emergency departments in 2023-24
In 2023-24, 608 patients spent more than 24 hours in Canberra’s two public emergency departments.
Many were older people, and waits were usually linked to a lack of available hospital beds.
Emergency departments are busy, noisy places not designed for people to stay in for long periods.
The number of patients facing waits this long was down from 1,158 in 2018-19.
The ACT has added hospital beds and emergency department capacity, and new programs have helped some older people get care without going to emergency departments.
Another obstacle is that patients ready to leave hospital may have nowhere suitable to go, including a lack of aged-care places.
Across Australia, more than 53,000 older people waited over 24 hours in emergency departments in 2023-24.
An emergency physician says national action is needed to address the problem, which could worsen as the population ages.
A report found that 608 patients spent more than 24 hours in ACT emergency departments in 2023-24.
Of those patients, 293 were older people and 215 were younger people.
The total was down from 1,158 patients in 2018-19.
Emergency physician Sam Scanlan said long stays were usually linked to a lack of available hospital ward beds.
Canberra Health Services said a system-wide approach was improving patient flow in emergency departments.
- Who
- 608 patients in the ACT, including 293 older patients and 215 younger patients.
- What
- They spent more than 24 hours in ACT emergency departments during 2023-24.
- When
- 2023-24.
- Where
- The ACT's two public hospital emergency departments.
- Why
- Usually because hospital ward beds were not available. The article also cites a lack of suitable aged-care places for some older patients.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
1,158 patients spent more than 24 hours in ACT emergency departments.
608 patients spent more than 24 hours in ACT emergency departments, including 293 older patients and 215 younger patients.
- Patients in ACT emergency departments
- 608 spent more than 24 hours in 2023-24
- Older patients
- 293
- Younger patients
- 215
- Comparison
- 1,158 patients spent more than 24 hours in 2018-19
- ACT public emergency departments
- 2
What people are saying
Twenty-four hour stays should be a never, ever event
At Canberra Hospital, the Critical Services Building has significantly increased emergency department capacity, including dedicated facilities for paediatrics, mental health, and short-stay care
Sources
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