MORE than a third of patients arriving at Orange Health Service in an ambulance are forced to wait more than 30 minutes to be admitted a new report revealed.
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For patients arriving by ambulance the target is for 90 per cent of people to be transferred within 30 minutes, however, Orange’s Emergency Department (ED) falls well below that.
During the July to September quarter this year, 1337 patients were brought to the hospital in an ambulance, with 65 per cent, or 460 people, waiting longer than the target transfer time.
The data from the Bureau of Health Information also shows waiting times for patients is only getting longer at the busy hospital.
During the same period last year 79 per cent of patients entered the hospital within the target time.
Despite only an increase of 30 people, or three per cent, the wait time has increased by 14 per cent.
Orange Health Service director of nursing Sue Patterson said while they had a better transfer time than the state average of 61 per cent, they were working hard to improve it.
“It’s an indicator we don’t have total control over ... when we have three or four ambulance present at the same time,” she said.
An Ambulance Service of NSW spokesperson said it was not ideal to have paramedics caring for the patient while waiting for a hospital bed.
