Fleming said the ED goes into code red on \u201cmultiple occasions\u201d because of the \u201chuge numbers\u201d of people needing to be triaged.<\/p>\n
She said that over seven days from September 2-9 the average bed occupancy in ED was 680%.<\/p>\n
\u201cED has 15 beds, and another seven beds for acute assessment ward patients. <\/p>\n
\u201cIn those seven days there were 503 arrivals, averaging 79 per day. <\/p>\n
\u201cGiven the number of beds and the number of patients treated, that\u2019s a huge health and safety risk.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fleming said it\u2019s also difficult to take a break while working in ED knowing that people waiting need to be watched.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne patient lost consciousness and was found unresponsive recently,\u201d Fleming said.<\/p>\n
\u201cLuckily, they were spotted and a tragedy averted.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fleming said the health system is in \u201ca desperate state and needs an urgent overhaul\u201d. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt begins with properly funding primary care services,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis is one of the major causes of overcrowding in EDs. <\/p>\n
\u201cIf people are treated timeously by their GPs there\u2019s no need to be sitting in a hospital ED.<\/p>\n
\u201cBetter funding of Te Whatu Ora would also lead to hiring more staff and better retention of health workers because happy, supported employees don\u2019t leave.\u201d<\/p>\n
Health New Zealand group director operations Whanganui Kath Fraser-Chapple said the 680% figure appeared to be based on patient turnover across the week, rather than the number of patients in the ED at any given time.<\/p>\n
\u201cLike hospitals across New Zealand, Whanganui Hospital has experienced sustained pressure from high levels of winter illness and increased demand for acute care,\u201d Fraser-Chapple said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile pressure on health services remains elevated, demand is continuing to ease from the high levels experienced during the winter peak.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are aware of claims that emergency department occupancy reached 680 per cent during the week in question. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis figure does not reflect actual occupancy levels within the department at any point in time. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe 680 per cent figure appears to be based on patient turnover, or \u201cchurn\u201d, across the week rather than the number of patients occupying treatment spaces at any given time.”<\/p>\n
Fraser-Chapple said that based on hourly occupancy data for September 2-9, the highest recorded occupancy was 253%, equivalent to about 50 patients in the department at one time.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile this level of demand placed significant pressure on services, it is not accurate to describe occupancy as having reached 680 per cent.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said Emergency Department teams \u201cwork incredibly hard in challenging circumstances to provide safe, timely care for their community\u201d, acknowledging their commitment and professionalism.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe recognise these periods can be demanding for staff,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
She said supporting staff wellbeing, maintaining safe staffing levels, and ensuring patients receive timely care remain priorities for Health NZ.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have increased staffing within the Whanganui Hospital emergency department and continue to actively recruit additional staff. <\/p>\n
\u201cRecent additions include three specialist nursing roles to support the assessment and treatment of lower-acuity patients, a dedicated geriatric emergency department nurse to support older people presenting to the service, and a physiotherapist to assist patients with musculoskeletal and mobility issues and support patient flow through the department.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe continue to plan for future demand, and work is scheduled to begin in October to expand treatment space within the emergency department, improve the mental health assessment area, increase storage capacity, and provide a dedicated staff meal room.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese improvements will help enhance the environment for both patients and staff.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fraser-Chapple said anyone who needs emergency care should continue to seek help without delay, with Emergency Departments open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with patients prioritised according to clinical need.<\/p>\n
It comes after the Herald revealed <\/a>in June that a man collapsed and died in Waikato Hospital\u2019s ED waiting-room toilet, with a hospital source saying he\u2019d been waiting \u201cnine hours\u201d.<\/p>\n