Hospitals swamped with people who have minor ailments

People turning up to emergency departments with minor ailments are costing hospitals $1.2 billion a year — and putting unnecessary pressure on frontline staff.

People turning up to emergency departments with sprained ankles, rashes and migraines are costing hospitals $1.2 billion a year, with the average presentation costing $891.

With non-urgent or semi-­urgent cases putting unnecessary pressure on frontline staff, the Minns government is calling on people to use the Health­Direct hotline to obtain advice from a registered nurse on whether hospital care is needed. Non-urgent presentations include minor illnesses or symptoms that may have been present for more than a week, such as rashes or minor aches and pains.

Semi-urgent cases are typically ailments such as a foreign body in the eye, sprained ankle, migraine or earache.

Together, the two categories of ailments resulted in more than 1.4 million people turning up to a NSW emergency department last year.

Declining numbers of GPs — and those that bulk-bill — remains a key issue, with fewer doctors per person in NSW now than back in 2018.

It costs an average of $891 for hospital emergency departments to deal with non-life-threatening ailments. Picture: iStock

Figures from the Department of Health and Aged Care show despite the rising population, numbers of GP have hovered between 9300 and 9500 over the past six years.

Last financial year, there were 9549 GPs — down from 9557 in 2018-19.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – Newswire Photos – MAY 15: NSW Health Minister Ryan Park speaks during question time at New South Wales Parliament House in Sydney. Picture: NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard

In the latest International Hospital Pricing Authority (IHPA) report released last month, emergency department presentations were analysed over the 2020-21 and 2021-22 periods.

The report found a drop in ED presentations in Queensland had led to the national ­figure declining from 8.3 to 8.4 million over the two-year ­period.

NSW topped the list with 2.5 million heading to emergency departments for care.

The Minns government has been opening up urgent care service centres to help divert patients with non-life threatening illnesses from hospitals.

The latest figures show about 55,000 patients have been treated since the centres began opening up.

Health Minister Ryan Park said more would be rolled out over the coming year to further alleviate pressure on EDs.

“We’ve already delivered 16 urgent care services, which have already seen 55,000 patients treated outside of our hospitals,” he said.

“Our urgent care services are still very much in their early stages of rollout and commencement, and we will see their capacity to treat more people ramp up over the coming year.

“If you’ve got a non-life-threatening condition, I encourage everyone to phone HealthDirect where you will speak with a registered nurse who can guide you on your best pathway to care.”

HealthDirect can be contacted on 1800 022 222

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Originally published as Hospitals swamped with people who have minor ailments