Whanganui Hospital aims to turn around low-performing ED wait times

Whanganui Hospital's emergency department has been ranked the sixth worst in the country for patients not seen within the recommended time. Photo / Eva de Jong

Whanganui Hospital is committed to turning around low-performing wait times in its emergency department after being ranked poorly in national data.

An NZME investigation of the best and worst-performing emergency departments ranked Whanganui Hospital’s emergency department (ED) as the sixth-worst in New Zealand when it came to seeing patients on time. The data is based on the Australasian Triage Scale – a best-practice standard followed by New Zealand’s EDs that assesses how urgently a patient needs to be seen and treated based on their condition.

Data shows between January and June 2024, of 10,722 patients who presented at Whanganui’s ED, 79.2% were not seen within the recommended time.

Whanganui Hospital acknowledged the ranking and was committed to improving the quality of care and service in the emergency department, Health NZ (HNZ) group director operations Whanganui Katherine Fraser-Chapple said.

“The safety and wellbeing of our patients who require hospital care remains our priority, and the public can be assured that if they or their loved ones need urgent hospital-level care, they will receive it.”

In response to a higher demand for ED services, Whanganui Hospital was adding a nurse practitioner and social worker to its ED staff to try to improve the flow of services.

Fraser-Chapple said data gathered last weekend showed 91% of people were seen, treated, and discharged from the ED on February 15, and 86% on February 16.

“While consistently meeting or exceeding the current health target milestone of 74%, we are experiencing increased demand for our ED services,” she said.

The number of patients presenting to Whanganui Hospital’s emergency department had increased from an average of 70 a day to up to 90 on some weekdays.

New initiatives to improve Whanganui Hospital’s ED wait times

• Employment of a nurse practitioner in the emergency department who can see and treat patients alongside medical staff.
• Introduction of a social worker in the emergency department on weekends and evenings, supporting patients and whānau with community options, in cases where hospital admission is not necessary.
• Supported discharge service — this team ensures that newly discharged patients have care and support, reducing the need to return to hospital unexpectedly.
• Ongoing recruitment drive to encourage more healthcare professionals to join the hospital team and ensure adequate staffing levels.

Fraser-Chapple said while most people who presented to the ED did so appropriately, there were instances where other treatment or care options may offer better support for patients.

Anyone who is unwell, but does not need emergency care, is encouraged to seek advice from Healthline, their GP, pharmacy or local health provider.

Eva de Jong is a reporter for the Whanganui Chronicle covering health stories and general news. She began as a reporter in 2023.