All levels of patient waiting and treatment time have been reduced, despite a significantly increased workload.

Emergency patient numbers have almost doubled from 2011/12 to the current year in both the triage 1 and triage 2 categories, the most serious and urgent cases, yet the hospital exceeded the National Emergency Access Target (NEAT) in June this year.

Along with very timely and efficient treatment of urgent patient cases has been equally good figures for treatment of less-urgent presentations and a slight reduction in the total number of patients presenting for non-urgent conditions at the emergency department, enabling medical and nursing staff to concentrate on the provision of great health outcomes.

NSW Health has reported 100 per cent of triage 1 category patients presenting at Orange were treated within the national target time set for such patients. Other categories include 96.6 per cent for triage 2, 86.0 per cent for triage 3, 90.8 per cent for triage 4 and 97.3 per cent for triage 5 patients.

Orange Health Service is receiving more emergency and inpatients than ever but our patients are being treated professionally, with great care and dignity and discharged earlier, allowing greater throughput and more efficient utilisation of resources and staff.

The great efficiency figures released by NSW Health clearly demonstrate the dedication of medical, nursing and support staff.  

We can well consider Orange Health Service one of the city’s and, indeed, regional and rural New South Wales’ greatest assets.

Phil Baker,

Orange Health Council chair