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Goulburn Valley Health under pressure
16 May 2008
Goulburn Valley Health is under enormous pressure and locals are missing out on clinically appropriate care, according to AMA Victoria President Dr Doug Travis, following the release this week of the Your Hospitals report.
“Goulburn Valley Health is struggling to cope with the increase in demand. Its performance has declined and fewer patients are being treated within the recommended times,” says Dr Travis.
“Only 62 per cent of category two emergency department patients – that is, patients with very severe pain and conditions such as heart attacks, strokes, acute appendicitis and even some road trauma victims – were seen within the time recommended by nurses and doctors.”
Since the last reporting period, Goulburn Valley Health emergency department presentations grew by fiveper cent and Dr Travis says locals and staff felt the pressure.“Emergency department patients waited longer to be treated and only 81 per cent of patients were admitted to a bed within the clinically-recommended eight hours.
“This just isn’t good enough,” says Dr Travis. “All patients should be treated within the clinically appropriate times.”
“It’s a real credit to the doctors, nurses and other staff at Goulburn Valley Health for coping with the rising demand so far, but ultimately, we need more funding and more beds to improve health care in growing regional areas.”
Dr Travis says record numbers of Victorians are missing out on clinically appropriate care in the state’s public hospitals.
“More than 200,000 Victorians missed out on clinically appropriate care from July to December last year.
“Productivity is slowing across the state and the State Government has failed 6 of its 9 own performance benchmarks.”
The State Budget has delivered some capital infrastructure investments across the state but Dr Travis says much more is needed.
“Victoria’s population is growing and ageing. We need to see more beds to alleviate pressures on emergency departments. It’s time for the government to take action to improve our public hospitals.”
Background
The State Government’s Your Hospitals report, published biannually, measures the performance of all Victorian public hospitals. It is available at: www.health.vic.gov.au/yourhospitals
For Goulburn Valley Health, the report shows that compared with the last reporting period:
· 961 more patients were treated;
· There was a 17 per cent decrease in the hospital’s ability to see category two patients (with very severe pain, severe breathing difficulties; major fractures) within the clinically-appropriate10 minutes;
· There was a nine per cent drop in the hospital’s capacity to see triage category three patients (with moderately severe blood loss, severe breathing difficulties, major fractures) within the clinically appropriate 30 minutes;
· The number of patients not admitted and with a length of stay less than four hours dropped seven per cent.
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