Geelong’s University Hospital has experienced its worst quarter for waiting times in more than a year.
Data from Victorian Emergency Minimum Dataset (VEMD) revealed that between April and June, patients waited an average of 38 minutes to be treated at the hospital’s emergency department.
The wait time was up from 32 minutes between January and March and 27 minutes from October to December.
For more urgent category one to three patients, the average wait time was 25 minutes, while less-urgent category four and five patients waited an average of 71 minutes.
Barwon Health public affairs and communications director Kate Bibby said Geelong residents could do their part to help alleviate the strain on health services by taking simple measures to look after their health.
“We’re asking our community to stay well this winter and protect our health system by keeping up to date with your COVID-19 and flu vaccinations, keeping a 1.5-metre distance between yourself and other people, washing or sanitising your hands often, coughing or sneezing into your elbow, ensuring good ventilation and wearing a good quality mask,” she said.
“We recommend people without life-threatening conditions first seek treatment from their GP, one of Geelong’s respiratory clinics, or phone Nurse-On-Call.”
Meanwhile, the state government said elective surgery waiting lists, ever-increasing throughout the pandemic, have begun to stabilise since the previous quarter, now sitting at 87,275.
Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas paid tribute to the state’s healthcare workers and said the government was committed to delivering sustainable, long-term improvements to the system.
“We’re in the midst of a record-breaking period of demand on our health system, butthis latest data shows that we are weathering the storm and building a system that will be stronger than ever moving forward,” MsThomas said.
“All our healthcare workers are doing an incredible job under challenging circumstances – and this government is ensuring they have all the support they need, to give Victorians the care they deserve faster.”
