Today’s release of the NSW Auditor-General’s report into NSW Health contains some shocking news on the performance of health care in the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District.
The report finds:
- Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District has not met the NSW Ministry of Health’s “expectations” of treating patients in hospital emergency departments within four hours. (page 54)
- Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District has very high bed occupancy rate “which can also lead to increased waiting times in emergency departments and increased cancellations of elective (planned) surgery.” (page 57)
- Expenses have increased by over 9 per cent in 2015-16 (page 18)
- Expenses have increased by 6.6 per cent over the last three years on average (page 18)
- Financially, the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District was seen as “not performing according to NSW Ministry of Health’s performance framework.” (page 21)
The Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District was one of seven local health districts operating with a deficit last financial year, with the Auditor-General noting “…the financial results were impacted by reduced State Government funding as part of an initiative to improve cash flow management across the sector.” (page 17)
The Auditor-General’s findings come on the back of independent Bureau of Health Information (BHI) figures yesterday, which showed Wollongong Hospital had the longest emergency department waiting times outside of Sydney.
Comments attributable to Paul Scully MP
“The Auditor-General’s report released today contains some very shocking news for health services in the Illawarra.
“The report confirms that health services in the region’s hospitals are under enormous pressure.
“Nobody can look at this report and not be very concerned that the Baird Government is short-changing health services across the Illawarra.
“The caring, dedicated and professional medical and nursing staff in the Illawarra are doing the best they can but their efforts to care for us are being undermined by the Baird Liberal Government which is short-changing the region on health funding.”
