Emergency department swamped as recovery kicks in

An extra 40 patients are day are presenting to The Townsville Hospital emergency department as the clean-up from the big wet kicks into overdrive.

From 8 February to 14 February, the Townsville Hospital ED saw 1857 people at an average of 265 a day – well up from last year’s average of 224 people a day.

On Wednesday 13 February 291 people presented, an average of one patient every five minutes.

Townsville Hospital emergency department acting director Dr Jane Dutson said generally the Townsville community had a good understanding of when to come to the emergency department.

“The way our system works in Australia is those people who are most unwell are seen first and during periods of high demand people with less urgent conditions will wait longer,” she said.

“Seeing close to 2000 people in a week is an extraordinary surge in demand and the department is doing everything we can but we just ask for the communities understanding and patience.”

Dr Dutson said Townsville was blessed with a large and world-class GP network with most practices now back to business as usual after the flooding.

“If you have a family practice that is 500 metres down the road consider accessing them in the first instance than just defaulting to driving across town to visit us,” she said.

“If you walk through the doors of our hospital we will look after you. It is what we do. But given the devastating past fortnight the community need to be aware just how busy we are.”

Contact: Public Affairs 4433 1016 | 0409 265 298