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Northern Beaches Hospital beats treatment time targets in nearly every triage category during August, say Healthscope

Northern Beaches Hospital’s internal data has revealed patients were treated within the recommended target times in all but one category last month. It comes as the facility’s head of ED blamed IT issues for previously causing inaccurate recording treatment times.

ED doctor Andy Ratchford and ED nurse Jo Watts at Northern beaches Hospital. Picture: Adam Yip.
ED doctor Andy Ratchford and ED nurse Jo Watts at Northern beaches Hospital. Picture: Adam Yip.

Patients arriving at Northern Beaches Hospital’s Emergency Department in August were treated within the recommended target times in all but one category, Healthscope’s own data reveals.

Figures published in the hospital’s newsletter show 100 per cent of life-threatening incidents such as those having a cardiac arrest, were treated within the target time of two minutes.

Northern Beaches Hospital at Frenchs Forest.
Northern Beaches Hospital at Frenchs Forest.

While 78 per cent of emergencies — those with an imminently life-threatening condition — were seen within 10 minutes, just short of the target of 80 per cent.

For those categorised as having a potentially life-threatening condition, 76 per cent received treatment within 30 minutes. The target is 75 per cent.

And, 92 per cent of those with a potentially serious condition were seen within an hour, beating the 70 per cent target.

All patients with a less urgent condition were seen within two hours, far exceeding the target of 70 per cent.

Andrew Newton is the new CEO of Northern Beaches Hospital, who started this month. Picture: Supplied.
Andrew Newton is the new CEO of Northern Beaches Hospital, who started this month. Picture: Supplied.

It follows the independent Bureau of Health Information’s report out last week which showed treatment times in the last quarter from April to June had improved compared with figures from January to March, but emergency and urgent patients were still below target.

These latest results have buoyed hopes that the next quarterly report from the BHI will show the Emergency Department is on target or exceeding targets.

Director of Emergency, Dr Andy Ratchford, said looking at current data up until September 19 the hospital was on track to meet all targets across the five triage categories.

He said if the figures remained consistent Northern Beaches Hospital’s performance would be sitting in the top 10 to 25 per cent of peer hospitals.

“That’s amazing considering we have not been open a year,” Dr Ratchford said.

He said he believes the improvements are down to glitches in the IT system which meant the “clock was not stopping” when it should have.

“It was frustrating to see the data was not reflecting our performance,” he said.

He said IT issues were fixed in July, suggesting the great results in August were what was happening all along.

“It tells us our performance was good all along,” Dr Ratchford said.

He added that the results were down to the hard work of doctors and nurses.

“It’s nice to see it all come together,” he said.

A parliamentary inquiry is currently looking at the management and running of the hospital.

It is due to recommence on September 23.

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Inside the bedrooms at Northern Beaches Hospital

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Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/manly-daily/northern-beaches-hospital-beats-treatment-time-targets-in-nearly-every-triage-category-during-august/news-story/ab57e34b5bcbc467456b3527999f48a0