The health crisis gripping our State continues to worsen under the McGowan Government with the latest ambulance ramping figures tripling what the Minister for Health had referred to as a ‘horror story’ when in Opposition.
Ambulances spent 3,713 hours ramped outside our hospitals last month, the highest figure for the month of July on record.
The figure included 99 hours of ambulance ramping around the State’s country hospitals.
“For more than 13 months, this government has consistently recorded ramping figures above 1030 hours, a figure which as Shadow for Health, Roger Cook, described as a crisis*,” Ms Mettam said.
“Despite a reduction in elective surgeries following the lockdown at the beginning of July and no influx of flu or COVID in the community, it isn’t making a dent in these appalling statistics.
“Since coming to Government, WA Labor’s only response to these escalating ramping figures has been to stop reporting them, as well as lead an inquiry looking into taking over the St John’s Ambulance Service.
“It’s clear they have no real plan to address the issue and the flow-on effect it is having in our hospitals, other than to turn a blind eye and deflect any blame.”
Ms Mettam said the McGowan Government was also falling well short on the four-hour rule with only 66 per cent of patients admitted, discharged, or transferred within four hours in the month of June.
“The target is supposed to be 90 per cent of patients seen within four hours but incredibly some hospitals are seeing less than half their patients in this time frame, which has a flow-on effect to other areas in the system as well,” Ms Mettam said.
“Yet, instead of addressing the shortfalls in our health system, the Health Minister blames it on too many people turning up to our EDs.
“We know that Emergency Department presentations are both on trend and predictable.
“When will this part-time Minister admit that he’s dropped the ball, run the system down and is not committed to addressing this issue as a priority?”
Background & references:
*Sunday 2 February 2017, Roger Cook Media Statement “Barnett Liberals Fail on Health”
Ambulance Perth – Ambulance Activity and Response times – St John Ambulance
