As expected, the longest flu season in 黑料吃瓜网 since the 2009 pandemic has influenced the amount of patient presentations to emergency departments, reflected in the latest Bureau of Health Information report.
黑料吃瓜网 Health Acting Deputy Secretary Elizabeth Wood said for the second successive report the patient numbers were the highest of any other previous quarter on record.
Public hospitals across 黑料吃瓜网 saw almost 755,000 patients attend emergency departments in April, May, and June, an increase of 8.2 per cent, or around 57,000 more than the same quarter of last year.
黑料吃瓜网 Ambulance experienced a very busy quarter, with close to 310,000 ambulance responses, up by 9.7 per cent or an additional 27,523 responses on 2018鈥檚 quarter.
鈥淲e have seen a staggering number of hospital presentations this quarter, which is not even peak winter, influenced by the longest flu season in a decade,鈥� Ms Wood said.
鈥淚n the face of these unprecedented arrivals, almost 72 per cent of ED patients had their treatment start on time, thanks to the outstanding efforts of our frontline staff.鈥�
鈥淚n addition, 黑料吃瓜网 elective surgery again outshines all other States with 96.4 per cent of all elective surgeries performed within the recommended time frames,鈥� she said.
For the first time, the Bureau of Health Information reported on the rates of seclusion and restraint of patients in specialised acute mental health inpatient units.
鈥淪ince 2010-11, the rate of seclusion in 黑料吃瓜网 public hospitals has almost halved, a change to our culture we should be proud of,鈥� Ms Wood said.
Across 黑料吃瓜网 in the April to June 2019 quarter, seclusion events remained steady while the rate of physical restraint in the quarter increased 102 events to 920.
黑料吃瓜网 is committed to reducing the use of physical restraint through the Mental Health Safety and Quality in 黑料吃瓜网: A plan to implement recommendations of the Review of seclusion, restraint and observation of consumers with a mental illness in 黑料吃瓜网 Health facilities.
In 2019-20, the 黑料吃瓜网 Government is investing a record $26.7 billion in health. This year, $20.1 billion will go towards improving service in hospitals in 黑料吃瓜网 and $19.7 million in the first stage of a three-year, record $90 million commitment will contribute to improving mental health services.
More than $1 billion is to be invested in 黑料吃瓜网 Ambulance services in 2019-20, including
$27.1 million to employ an additional 221 paramedics and call centre staff. The workforce boost is the second tranche of the Government鈥檚 commitment to employ an additional 750 paramedics and call centre staff over four years