New data has shown an increase in Emergency Department (ED) visits being linked to a shortage of General Practitioners (GPs).
The latest Bureau of Health Information (BHI) quarterly results show GP shortages coincide with record pressure on EDs, including in the Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District, which has seen an increase of 4.5 per cent to 37,593 presentations.
The BHI data show the pressure on NSW EDs corresponds with more residents struggling to access care through GPs.
The BHI results show a large decrease in the number of GP attendances per 100,000 people in NSW between June 30, 2020, and June 20, 2023, from 681,244 to 653,802. This is the first and biggest decrease in GP attendances in the last 10 years.
This number is consistent with the most recent data from the Federal Department of Health & Aged Care, which shows that there were fewer GPs in NSW in 2023 than there were in 2019 with the number falling from 9,700 to 9,485.
NSW Health Minister Ryan Park shared his concern that people are putting off going to a GP for care, particularly for chronic conditions, which leads to the need to present to an ED when their condition deteriorates.
“We are so grateful for the hard work of our dedicated hospital staff who are confronted with unprecedented pressure,” Park said.
“While our EDs grapple with unprecedented pressure, I’m really encouraged by the work being undertaken in creating alternative pathways to care outside of the hospital. This is almost a quarter of a million people who may have otherwise ended up [waiting] a long time in a busy ED.
“We know that the Federal Government is working hard to undo the impacts of the Federal Liberals’ freeze on Medicare rebates which had severe consequences for the accessibility of GPs.
“While access to primary care and GPs is a Federal responsibility, the NSW Government is playing our part by investing in pathways to care outside of the hospital, while improving patient flow within the hospital. But we cannot do this on our own, and we are continuing to see our state health system shoulder the burden of the crisis in primary care.”
But Opposition Leader Mark Speakman said the government wasn’t doing enough.
“We’re seeing record wait times, overcrowded Emergency Departments, and critical services being cut, all while Chris Minns stands by doing nothing,” he said.
“NSW families are paying the price for his failure to invest in health care, and it’s clear that under Labor things are only getting worse.”
State Member for Penrith Karen McKeown thanked Nepean Hospital staff for their efforts while work is being done to increase access to GPs.
“The Minns Labor Government has been working hard to address the pressures that our Emergency Departments and staff have been facing,” McKeown said.
“We know that our hospitals cannot function without the work and efforts of its staff, we are so thankful for the work our staff at Nepean Hospital do every single day.
“It is great to see our State Government’s initiatives start to roll out in order to improve patient flow and wait times within our hospitals.”
Emily Chate
Emily Chate joined The Western Weekender in 2024, and covers local news - primarily courts and politics. A graduate of the University of Wollongong, Emily has contributed to The Daily Telegraph and worked as a freelance journalist.