The Bureau of Health Information Healthcare Quarterly report published on December 6, which reviews activity for the July – September 2017 period, showed improvements in the hospital’s emergency department (ED). 

Figures released by the bureau show the ED had 3319 presentations during the quarter, down 6.8 per cent for the same period last year. 

Patients arrivals to the ED by ambulance increased 12.7 per cent, from 464 for the same period in 2016, to 523. 

Patient leave time from the ED improved by 3.7 per cent, with 82.3 per cent of patients able to leave within the four-hour state benchmark.

The average time for a patient to leave was one hour and 36 minutes, an 11 minute increase from last year’s figure of one hour and 25 minutes.

Of the total ED presentations, 294 were admitted to the hospital, down from 314 the previous year. 

Acute patients remained at the hospital for an average of 3.9 days, while non-acute patients stayed for 7.5 days. 

Patients categorised as an “emergency”, the highest rating on the scale, were seen in triage in six minutes. A two minute improvement on figures for the same period last year. 

While, patients categorised as “non-urgent”, the lowest rating, were seen in triage in 32 minutes. An extra minute added from last year’s figures. 

Less five births were recorded at hospital for the quarter.  

Non-urgent, elective surgery was performed on 15 patients, with a median wait time of 34 days for procedures. 

While 14 patients waited an average of 27 days for elective surgery performed by a specialty surgeon. 

As of September 30, 16 patients remained on a non-urgent, elective surgery waiting list.