Hospital: Emergency Department for Emergencies

The waiting times at Tauranga Hospital’s emergency department vary according to how busy it is and average times are misleading, says BOPDHB chief operating officer Graham Dyer.

“ED is for emergencies. As Mr Ryall pointed out yesterday, anyone who needs emergency treatment is seen immediately. We have met 100 per cent compliance on that measure. The trend over time shows we have been improving our performance, although this has understandably flattened as we hit winter.”

Mr Dyer says winter is a busy time for the department and there are still a large number of people who present with conditions that could readily be dealt with by a GP or accident and medical clinic.

“Emergency departments cannot predict when emergencies will occur and inevitably waiting times will be longer when it is busy. We see more than 100 people every day. When numerous people turn up at the same time we have to prioritise and put genuine emergencies first. This means people with less serious conditions may face longer waiting times.

“Our emergency department’s capacity will be expanded as part of Project Leo and this will help us reduce waiting times too,” he says. “But if people needing non-urgent medical attention want fast service, they should head to their GPs first.”

ENDS

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