The Bureau of Health Information has released its Healthcare Quarterly report, showing activity and performance for public health services in NSW during January to March 2023.
BHI chief executive Dr Diane Watson said the latest quarterly results show public health services were once again very busy during January to March 2023.
“Ambulance services and emergency departments experienced record demand as the upward trend in activity that began before the pandemic continued,” said Dr Watson.
There were 347,720 ambulance responses – the highest of any quarter since BHI began reporting in 2010.
“Despite the increasing demand, ambulance response performance has continued to improve following record long response times in mid-2022,” said Dr Watson.
There were 54,820 elective – or planned – surgeries performed in the January to March quarter. Patients continued to experience long waits for non-urgent elective surgery as the effects of suspensions of services during the pandemic continued to be felt. One in 10 patients who received non-urgent surgery during the quarter waited longer than 523 days.
At Narrabri Hospital, emergency department attendances were 1356, up 6.1 per cent on the previous corresponding period in 2022.
Figures also showed 92.7 per cent of patients started treatment on time, up 2.4 per cent.
Narrabri Hospital was the best performing hospital in the Hunter New England Local Health District in this category.
Twenty-two surgeries were performed, up 22 per cent, compared to nine in Gunnedah, 62 in Moree and 60 in Inverell.
Twelve babies were born at the hospital – down seven on the previous corresponding period.
Moree Hospital recorded 33 births for the quarter, seven at Gunnedah Hospital and 264 at Tamworth Hospital.
Narrabri Hospital recorded 386 hospital admissions, down 5.2 per cent.
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