WESTERN suburbs patients are waiting longer for elective surgery, having more operations cancelled and experiencing increasing delays in getting a bed in a ward, the latest state government data shows.
The Victorian Health Services Performance Report for the three months to last December shows 12,048 people were admitted for emergency care at Sunshine, Footscray and Williamstown hospitals – down marginally from 12,279 in the December 2010 quarter.
Ambulances were directed to other hospitals as Western Health’s two biggest hospitals at Sunshine and Footscray came under high loads – known as hospital bypass.
This happened 3.8 per cent of the time at Footscray, up from 0.9 per cent, and 1.5 per cent at Sunshine, compared to 0.7 per cent.
Both recent figures are higher than the state average of 1.4 per cent.
The two hospitals dipped in performance with patients who needed emergency care: 66 per cent at Sunshine – down from 71 per cent the previous year – and 70 per cent at Footscray – down from 75 per cent – were treated within the target time frames set by the state government.
CEO Kathryn Cook said Western Health serviced the fastest-growing population area in Australia and that was having a huge impact on the demand for health services.
She said there had been a reduction in short-stay beds at Footscray and Sunshine hospitals because of building works.
