An audit of ED patients found half of those who had suffered a fall caused by environmental factors had sustained only minor injuries, a Health NZ statement said.<\/p>\n
One\u202fin\u202fthree of these\u202fpatients was admitted to Rotorua Hospital.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith\u202fthe right support\u202fin place, many of these patients did not need to be admitted,\u201d Clarricoats said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAn effect of this helps with winter bed flow and ensures hospital beds are available for those who need inpatient care.\u201d<\/p>\n
Start\u202fwas\u202festablished\u202fat Rotorua Hospital in May 2024 and\u202fexpanded to\u202fTaup\u014d Hospital in September 2024.<\/p>\n
In 2025, 385 patients were\u202fassisted\u202fvia the service and in the first four months of this year, 215 patients\u202fhad been supported. <\/p>\n
Health NZ Lakes operations group director Alan Wilson said React started at Rotorua Hospital on May 4 and ensured the site was prepared for winter seasonal demand.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe React pathway means we can prevent hospital admissions and get people home sooner, freeing up resources for those that need immediate care.\u201d<\/p>\n
This had the biggest impact during winter when there were increased hospital admissions because of seasonal illnesses, he said.<\/p>\n
Wilson said Rotorua Hospital had 26 treatment spaces in the ED and another 11 beds in the Assessment Planning Unit, which was beside and managed by the ED.<\/p>\n
He said Rotorua Hospital opened 18 additional beds last year and they remained open during the winter period.<\/p>\n
Asked what the average wait time for a patient to be seen after presenting in the ED was, Wilson said patients were prioritised based on urgency.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor example, a patient with cardiac arrest is seen immediately, while someone assessed as having a minor illness will wait longer.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wilson said it was important for the community to know the work done by ED doctors and nurses \u201cisn\u2019t always visible to other patients waiting for treatment\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur ED staff will often be very busy managing life-threatening situations in ED, while patients in the waiting room will not be aware this is happening as many of those patients have come in by ambulance and not through the waiting room.\u201d<\/p>\n
A Health NZ statement in April said health services prepared for the winter increase in patients every year.<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s plan included encouraging flu vaccinations and making early use of primary care.<\/p>\n
The statement said New Zealanders would see other ways to get help without going to the ED, including urgent care, telehealth and pharmacy services.<\/p>\n
Additional nursing and clinical staff would also be in place across the country, along with an increase in the number of beds available over winter.<\/p>\n