Gary Adshead’s investigation has uncovered alarming delays in Perth’s emergency department, with ambulance crews waiting up to five hours at hospitals. According to documents obtained by Adshead, ambulance ramping has reached almost 6000 hours in a month. The standby capacity of St John Ambulance was at 0 percent on a Monday, indicating a severe strain on the system. At Royal Perth Hospital, ten ambulances were ramped at once, highlighting the extent of the issue.
Calls for emergency assistance are also experiencing delays, with some callers waiting longer than expected for a response. Priority one calls, which should be met within 15 minutes 90 percent of the time, fell short with a success rate of only 73.5 percent. Even lower-priority calls were experiencing significant wait times. Australian Medical Association WA president Michael Page expressed concern over the situation, attributing the problem to the capacity of hospitals to accept patients rather than a failure of St John Ambulance.
Page emphasized that the issue was a systemic problem affecting the entire healthcare system, causing immense stress on ambulance crews trying to meet response targets. The inefficiencies in the system have left the ambulance crews feeling disempowered and struggling to provide timely care to those in need. One caller, Colin, shared his experience of calling an ambulance only to be told of a 15-hour wait time at the hospital, prompting him to seek care at a private hospital instead. This anecdote illustrates the challenges faced by patients in accessing timely emergency services.
The concerning delays in emergency response times have raised questions about the overall effectiveness of the healthcare system in Perth. Adshead has reached out to the health minister and St John Ambulance for their comments on the matter. The revelations from Adshead’s investigation shed light on the growing strain on emergency services in the region, with ambulance crews and patients alike experiencing significant wait times. The issue has sparked calls for action to address the underlying systemic problems contributing to these delays and find solutions to improve the efficiency of emergency care in Perth.
The documents obtained by Adshead serve as a wake-up call to the authorities and healthcare providers in Perth, highlighting the urgent need for measures to address the increasing strain on emergency services. The challenges faced by ambulance crews and patients in accessing timely care underscore the critical importance of a well-functioning healthcare system. It is crucial that steps are taken to address the root causes of these delays and ensure that patients receive the timely and appropriate care they require in emergency situations. Adshead’s investigation has ignited a discussion on how best to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of emergency response services in Perth to better serve the community.
