Western Sydney Local Health District: management to be grilled over staff numbers, wait times

Management behind an under-siege local health district will be quizzed over major shortfalls in staffing and wait times for patients. SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS HERE.

Management and senior staff at Western Sydney Local Health District will face tough questions this month, as clinicians continue to threaten to quit and new data reveals 40 per cent of patients at Blacktown Hospital spent more than four hours waiting in the emergency department.

NewsLocal State Political Reporter Jake McCallum will chair the local health district’s Western Sydney Health Forum, which will see concerned residents across the region raise questions and concerns with WSLHD chief executive Graeme Loy and district directors.

The annual public meeting, to be lifestreamed on November 25, provides an update of the strategic vision and plans for the health district, as well as an open forum for the public to raise questions, concerns and ideas.

Western Sydney Local Health Chief Executive Graeme Loy

THE GREAT DIVIDE — SYDNEY’S HEALTH CRISIS

Part One: south west patients funded $800 less per person than Sydney residents

Part Two: south west patients forced to travel hours for treatment

Part Three: leaders are calling for a new hospital at Aerotropolis

Part Four: 24,000 new medical students needed to fight west’s growth

Part Five: Patients waiting 300 days for surgery in south west Sydney

Part Six: south west teens shock youth suicide numbers as specialist staff numbers revealed

Part Seven: Claims health department removed beds from state’s busiest EDs

Part Eight: Where mini-metro hospitals will be built across Sydney

Part Nine: Kids enduring 18-month wait times for paediatric services

Part Ten: Hospital staff reveal hospital horror stories in calls for funding

Part Eleven: ‘Young doctors committing suicide over workloads’, inquiry hears

Part Twelve: NSW Government delisted land earmarked for hospital

Part Thirteen: NSW Health failed to assess hospital development projects

Part Fourteen: Liverpool, Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital redevelopments: bid to fast track hospital openings

But the district and its management have already come under fire this week, following threats by as many as 20 senior obstetricians to quit their positions at Blacktown Hospital following the death of four newborn babies.

Mr Loy yesterday said staff were calling for increased resourcing and theatre access: “We are putting in place a dedicated theatre for obstetrics to make sure quick access for cesarean section”.

Blacktown Hospital staff. Picture: NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard

The director said it was “hard to put a specific number” on the amount of staff threatening to leave, however, said the LHD would work around the clock to address issues.

NewsLocal will also raise questions around newly released Bureau of Health Information data, which revealed just 50 per cent of emergency patients started treatment on time.

More than 40,000 people presented to Emergency Departments across the health district between April and June this year, with a total of 2236 patients abandoning the department without or before completing treatment.

Some patients left the emergency departments without treatment after a massive seven hour wait.

Mr Loy said he was looking forward to updating the public on the successes and future direction of the district.

Emergency Departments in Western Sydney will be placed under the spotlight.

“This year has not only demonstrated the incredible flexibility and capability of our wonderful staff, but also reminded us of the need to take health seriously and plan for the future,” Mr Graeme said.

“We have a vision for a healthier Western Sydney that we are excited to share with the public in this and other forums. I encourage you to attend virtually and submit your questions in advance.”

Mr Loy will be joined by LHD board member Richard Alcock, medical services director Dr Emma McCahon, public health director Dr Shopna Bag, critical care co-ordinator Tom Solano and mental health nurse Jaclyn Mitchell.

The annual event comes after NewsLocal’s 14-chapter campaign to improve health resources across greater Western Sydney — highlighting the shocking levels of disparity of funding and staffing across the city’s public hospital network.

Residents can submit questions now, in video or written format, by emailing them to [e-mail].

The hour-long forum will begin at 7.30pm on Wednesday, November 25 and will be broadcast live on the Western Sydney Health YouTube and Facebook pages.