Premier says hospital wait times ‘not good enough’ after elderly patient lies on ED floor for 24 hours

Premier Chris Minns has vowed to overhaul Sydney’s overburdened hospital system after revelations an elderly patient spent 24 hours on the floor of Blacktown Hospital’s ED.

Shocking images have emerged from inside a Sydney hospital emergency room. Picture: 2GB

Premier Chris Minns has admitted the state’s hospital system faces an “enormous challenge” after a 70-year-old man was forced to lie on the floor of a western Sydney emergency department in severe pain while waiting 24 hours for a bed.

The patient, Raymond, who suffers from pre-existing medical conditions and dangerously low haemoglobin levels, was taken to Blacktown Hospital where he endured an overnight wait amid a chronic bed shortage.

The case, uncovered by 2GB, has reignited scrutiny over hospital delays in Sydney’s west, where figures show just 40 per cent of patients at Blacktown Hospital are being treated within clinically recommended time frames.

Speaking with Ben Fordham on Tuesday morning, Minns said he was deeply concerned by the situation.

“You don’t want to be in a situation where you have to wait that amount of time,” he said.

Elderly patients on the floor as they wait for beds. Picture: 2GB

“We can’t have a situation where a 70-year-old man or an 80-year-old man — the only relief they can get is to curl up in the fetal position on the floor of the emergency department. That is not good enough.”

Minns said the government was working urgently to improve conditions in emergency departments, particularly in Sydney’s west, where years of underinvestment had left services overstretched.

“The situation today is not where we need it to be, and we need to do better with the massive investment that we’re putting into health,” he said.

“We’re putting more money into health than any government in the state’s entire history — and that includes parts of the COVID emergency.”

Minns confirmed the government is delivering 60 new beds across Blacktown and Mount Druitt hospitals.

“This is the biggest investment in Western Sydney health in decades — $900 million for Rouse Hill Hospital, $2 billion for Bankstown Hospital, plus rebuilds of Canterbury and Fairfield hospitals.”

Minns said Labor was committed to reversing the mistakes of past administrations.

“I’m not coming on saying we deserve a gold star... but it would be ruinous for the public health system in NSW to go back to the old model: privatisation, a wages cap and underinvestment in Western Sydney.”

Do you know more? Message 0481 056 618 or email [e-mail]

Originally published as Premier says hospital wait times ‘not good enough’ after elderly patient lies on ED floor for 24 hours