The Western NSW Local Health District is bracing for winter, boosting staff numbers at hospitals across the region and putting in place additional measures for the busy period.
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From July to September last year 33,859 people presented to emergency departments across the District.
LHD chief executive, Scott McLachlan, said extra staff have been employed for winter, including extra staff in the Patient Flow Unit to help handle increased transport of patients between their 38 facilities.
“The winter months are a busy time for any hospital and our focus is always to ensure our patients are seen as quickly as possible,” he said.
“We have extra staff on board to help meet peaks in demand and to ensure we’re covered if our own workers fall ill.”
New systems to manage patient numbers have also been added to monitor patterns admissions so they can predict when they may need to open additional beds to help avoid delays.
So far over 3,600 Western NSW LHD staff have been vaccinated.
NSW Health has made the vaccine mandatory for staff who work in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) and cancer, transplant, neonatal and birth/labour wards.
And the Local Health District has been working with the Primary Health Network and Residential Aged Care Facilities to help them prepare and educate staff and patients about preventative measures to stay healthy during winter.
A record $22.75 million is being spent on state-wide immunisation programs in 2017-18.
Mr McLachlan reminded the community to visit their GP for treatment of less serious illnesses.
“To help take the pressure off the emergency department and to provide better services for non-emergency patients, the District will continue to use Hospital in the Home services – a system of care which allows for people to be treated at home and kept out of hospital,” he said.
- 2017 MUDGEE’S WORST SEASON ON RECORD
The worst flu season on record led to a 25.5 per cent increase in patient numbers at the Mudgee District Hospital. The emergency department saw 3196 presentations during July-September, up from 2547 the previous year, which was the highest bump in the Western NSW LHD. Patients presenting with early onset flu symptoms fall into Triage categories three (urgent) and four (semi-urgent). Both of saw the highest increases.