‘Severe pressure’: One in four emergency department patients affected by Aussie doctor ‘crisis’

A major ‘crisis’ affecting one in four emergency department patients in one state has been revealed in a new report.

New statistics have laid bare the general practitioner crisis in NSW as one in four emergency department patients say they wouldn’t be there if they had access to a GP.

The Bureau of Health Information (BHI) has revealed 28 per cent of ED patients surveyed would have opted to see a GP but simply had no choice but to go to the hospital.

People with non-life threatening conditions are increasingly flocking to hospitals, unable to find bulk-billing doctors or a doctor that could see them within a reasonable time.

New data revealed one in four ED patients in NSW wouldn’t be there if they could access a GP. Picture: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

Record pressure is being placed on hospitals, with ED attendances up nearly 16,000 in the September 2024 quarter compared to the same period last year, according to BHI data.

NSW Ambulance responses have also risen by 22,622 responses over the same period, making it the highest on record at 385,873 responses.

NSW Minister for Health Ryan Park says hospitals are under ‘severe pressure’. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short

NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said the GP shortage crisis was putting hospitals under “severe pressure”.

“I know the commonwealth government has made significant efforts to address its GP shortage crisis,” Mr Park said.

“The impact of the federal Liberals’ and Nationals’ freeze on the Medicare rebate will be felt for some time to come and won’t be undone overnight.

“The reality is however, the commonwealth’s GP shortage crisis is placing severe pressure on our hospitals as people have little choice but to present to our EDs for non-emergency conditions.

ED patients reported they were unable to find a bulk-billing GP, or one with available appointments within a reasonable time. Picture: NewsWire / Damian Shaw

“The NSW government is playing our part by making significant investments in both alleviating pressure on our EDs as well as creating alternative pathways to care outside of the hospital.”

Despite this, semi-urgent and non-urgent presentations – including minor aches and pains, sprained ankles, migraines and colds – have continued to decrease as of the September quarter, with figures falling by 2451 compared to the same quarter last year.

Semi-urgent and non-urgent emergency department presentations fell during the September quarter compared to the same period in 2023. Picture: NewsWire/Bianca De Marchi

About 102,000 patients were diverted from EDs through the phone line HealthDirect, which connects people with a registered nurse to help determine a pathway to care outside of hospital.

This is 30,000 more diversions compared to the same quarter last year, which saw 72,000 diversions.

It follows news the state government will roll out an ED relief package, including $171m for three additional virtual care services set to help 180,000 people avoid ED trips.

The government has also set $189m to incentivise GPs to bulk-bill through payroll tax relief, while also announcing $186m towards boosting hospital capacity to ensure planned surgeries are performed on schedule.