Southlanders Waiting More Than 24 hours In ED

Emergency Department wait times are soaring in Southland, with more than one in five people waiting at least six hours for treatment, MP for Southland Joseph Mooney says.

“There has also been a marked decline in the proportion of people who go to the Emergency Department being seen within six hours.

“Data shows that in April 2022, wait times reached over 24 hours in emergency departments for thirteen people.

“This was only at the beginning of winter, and with headlines of an over-worked and understaffed health sector being reported daily, we expect this number to increase.

“Reports suggest that the previously approved plans for a new operating theatre and a bigger emergency department at Southland Hospital have also been put on hold.

“Wait times are up in every region across the country, but the data shows that the Southland region is among the worst performing in the country, compared to the reporting from 2017.

“The system is not coping, and when Kiwis need urgent help, they are forced to wait. With some wait times becoming unbearable, people leave – sometimes with tragic consequences.

“Exhausted, hardworking emergency department staff see no support, hope, or plans in Andrew Little’s public statements while he denies a health crisis.

“The Minister of Health urgently needs to refocus the $486 million being spent on health reforms to relieve pressure in emergency departments. Kiwis deserve a Government who will put their health first.”