MORE patients are being treated quickly at the emergency departments of the Albury and Wodonga hospitals.
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However, figures released today by Victorian Health Minister David Davis reveal a more important trend — that both emergency departments are becoming more congested.
There were 8394 patients who sought treatment at Albury in the three months to the end of September, an increase of 451 patients on the period between May and June last year.
The number of presentations at Wodonga’s emergency department increased by 170 people.
The figures support a push by health service chief Dr Stuart Spring for funding to build a new emergency department at Albury or significantly upgrade the existing one.
The figures also come just a month after The Border Mail revealed ambulances were being “ramped” at Albury and Wodonga hospitals for up to two hours, requiring paramedics to treat patients on stretchers as they waited for beds to become available.
The system can only stretch so far.
It’s time for governments to come up with the money to help staff continue to deliver timely care to our community.