Page 368 - Week 01 - Thursday, 13 February 2020
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ambulance transport, while other factors include responding to co-occurring alcohol and drug use, physical trauma or injury, and/or the need to rule out underlying physical conditions that could be causing their psychological symptoms. It is important that time is taken to eliminate or address physical issues alongside any assessment of mental health issues.
The Canberra Hospital has seen recent increases in the number of ED presentations for mental illness resulting in admission, which has placed additional pressure on the system. Between 1 July 2018 and 30 June 2019, there were 1,645 mental health related presentations to the Canberra Hospital ED that resulted in admission. This represents an increase of 137.7 per cent since 2014-15. As the Canberra Hospital ED is the only facility gazetted under ACT legislation, it must accept and assess all consumers who present to the ED under an Emergency action of the Mental Health Act 2015. It is also the nominated location for assessment of people referred from the ACT or Commonwealth Judiciary under Section 309 of the Crimes Act.
Hospitals—emergency department data
Ms Stephen-Smith (in reply to a supplementary question by Mr Hanson on Wednesday, 27 November 2019):
Table 1 shows the latest results – Quarter 4 2018-19 and Quarter 1 2019-20 for triage categories 1 to 5 and the variance.
|
Category |
Result Q1 2019-20 |
Result Q4 2018-19 |
Variance |
|
Triage 1 – Resuscitation |
99.6% |
100.0% |
-0.4% |
|
Triage 2 – Emergency |
72.8% |
71.4% |
1.4% |
|
Triage 3 - Urgent |
25.8% |
28.1% |
-2.3% |
|
Triage 4 – Semi-urgent |
40.6% |
44.2% |
-3.6% |
|
Triage 5 – Non-urgent |
78.9% |
80.1% |
-1.2% |
Data per ACT Health Quarterly Performance reports
ACT Emergency Departments continue to experience an increase in presentations. There was a 4 per cent more presentations in Quarter 1 2019-20 compared with the same period last year. This represents an increase rate of more than double the population growth rate for the ACT, which continues to put significant pressure on wait times, especially in less urgent patients (triage categories 3 to 5).
ACT Health—workplace culture
Ms Stephen-Smith (in reply to a supplementary question by Miss C Burch on Wednesday, 27 November 2019):
1. ACT Health Directorate (ACTHD) and Canberra Health Services (CHS) do not keep this data. Ongoing professional development is important for all leaders and managers across both organisations, as it is for any workplace.
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