By Esther Lauaki
Patients are waiting in emergency at Werribee Mercy Hospital four minutes longer than the state average, according to the Victoria’s peak medical body.
Latest emergency department performance figures revealed the median wait time for patients to be seen by a doctor or nurse at Werribee Mercy, across all triage categories, was 23 minutes in the past quarter to March.
The median time for treatment across the state is 19 minutes.
Mercy Health chief of health services Linda Mellors said the performance figures highlighted the growth in demand for services at the hospital.
“The Wyndham municipality is experiencing some of the fastest population growth in Australia,” Adjunct Professor Mellors said.
“Consequently we have observed up to 20 per cent increases in triage category one to three [most serious] emergency department presentations since last financial year, which is the highest in Victoria,” she said.
In addition, ambulance presentations have increased by 35 per cent compared to this quarter last year.
Adjunct Professor Mellors said Werribee Mercy Hospital continued to work with Victoria’s Department of Health and Human Services to manage the increased demand.
“Staff are to be commended on accommodating this increase in acute patient presentations and ensuring that patients were seen in a reasonable time,” Adjunct Professor Mellors said.
“The increased demand from the Wyndham growth corridor means that less serious patients [categories four and five] may have longer waiting times.”
