Rockhampton Hospital 24 hour wait times in emergency department

New figures have revealed more than 400 patients waited for 24 hours or longer in the emergency department at Rockhampton Hospital in the last quarter.

File photo of Rockhampton Base Hospital's Emergency Department.

New figures have exposed that 146 patients waited for 24 hours or longer in the emergency department at Rockhampton Hospital in January.

The figures were released following a parliamentary Question on Notice, which revealed figures for emergency departments of public hospitals across the state.

The Rockhampton figures outlined 97 patients waited for 24 hours or longer in October, 112 in November, 83 in December and the aforementioned 146 in January.

It was noted in the reports that this did not mean the patients were generally sitting in the waiting room and that they usually would have been triaged and have started receiving medical treatment in the emergency department.

Patients staying in the emergency departments may be there for a number of reasons, including needing repeated treatments or may require a specific type of bed in isolation or mental health.

Central Queensland Health and Hospital Service was contacted for a comment by The Morning Bulletin for a response in regards to the figures.

It could not respond to the January figures as they are included in the March quarter performance data which was yet to be released.

The statement noted CQHHS hospitals “posted a busy December quarter (October to December), with 37,456 patients through emergency departments”.

In Rockhampton, 13,797 people went through the Emergency Department in the December quarter.

Patients are given a triage category according to their level of clinical need, with Category 1 the sickest or most seriously injured and who are seen within two minutes.

“While we never turn anyone away who comes to us for help, those patients with less urgent conditions need to wait for those who are receiving vital lifesaving care,” CQHHS chief executive Dr Emma McCahon said.

The average wait time across all five triage categories in Rockhampton in the December quarter was 24 minutes.

“Despite the consistently high levels of demand, in the December quarter, 60 per cent of patients in Rockhampton Hospital ED were seen within clinically recommended times,” Dr McMahon said.

“We are always working on new ideas to improve ED waiting times.

“This includes developing new models of care to keep people out of hospital wherever possible, such as virtual care and hospital in the home.

“Another innovation is the mental health co-responder program with Queensland Ambulance Service, supporting people in mental health crisis in the community.

“We also have a new Respiratory Rapid Access Service to care for patients with chronic respiratory conditions without coming to ED.”