16 May 2008

 

Frankston Hospital is under enormous pressure and locals are missing out on clinically appropriate care, according to AMA Victoria President Dr Doug Travis, following the release this week of the Your Hospitals report.  

 

“Frankston Hospital is struggling to cope with the increase in demand. Its performance has declined and fewer patients are being treated within the recommended times,” says Dr Travis.

 

“Only thirty seven per cent of category two and three emergency department patients – that is, patients with very severe pain and conditions such as heart attacks, strokes, acute appendicitis, broken arms and legs and even some road trauma victims – were seen within the time recommended by nurses and doctors.”

 

Since the last reporting period, Frankston Hospital’s emergency department presentations grew by 4.7 per cent and Dr Travis says locals and staff felt the pressure. “Ambulance bypass increased, emergency department patients waited longer to be treated and only 51 per cent of patients were admitted to a bed within the clinically-recommended eight hours.  

 

“This just isn’t good enough,” says Dr Travis. “All patients should be treated within the clinically appropriate times.”

 

“It’s a real credit to the doctors, nurses and other staff at Frankston Hospital for coping with the rising demand so far, but ultimately, we need more funding and more beds to improve health care in growing suburban areas.” 

 

Dr Travis says record numbers of Victorians are missing out on clinically appropriate care in the state’s public hospitals.

 

“More than 200,000 Victorians missed out on clinically appropriate care from July to December last year.

 

“Productivity is slowing across the state and the State Government has failed 6 of its 9 own performance benchmarks.”  

 

The State Budget has delivered some capital infrastructure investments across the state but Dr Travis says much more is needed.

 

“Victoria’s population is growing and ageing. We need to see more beds to alleviate pressures on emergency departments. It’s time for the government to take action to improve our public hospitals.”

 

 

 

The State Government’s Your Hospitals report, published biannually, measures the performance of all Victorian public hospitals. It is available at: www.health.vic.gov.au/yourhospitals  

 

For Frankston Hospital, the report shows that compared with the last reporting period:

 

·         1,721 more patients were treated;

 

·         Hospital bypass rose 11 per cent;

 

·         There was a fifty one per cent decrease in the hospital’s ability to see category two patients (with very severe pain, severe breathing difficulties; major fractures) within the clinically-appropriate10 minutes;

 

·         There was a 38 per cent drop in the hospital’s capacity to see triage category three patients (with moderately severe blood loss, severe breathing difficulties, major fractures) within the clinically appropriate 30 minutes;

 

·         The hospital’s capacity to admit patients requiring a bed within 8 hours dropped 22 per cent;

 

·         Non-urgent elective surgery patients admitted within a year dropped 17 per cent.