Hawke’s Bay Hospital Capacity Issues – 24 Patients Remained Overnight in the ED

Tom Kitchin from RNZ

Hawke’s Bay doctors are at breaking point due to a crowded hospital and some say it is the busiest they have ever seen.

The region’s hospital in Hastings is struggling to treat too many patients. High levels of trauma, accidents, and substandard housing are causing the bed lock.

The Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, Sarah Dalton, said the last few weeks at Hawke’s Bay Hospital have been difficult.

“It’s kind of like the new normal, being at 100% or above capacity, in particular ED, but the last few weeks have been exceptionally bad and one of our members commented that last Monday was the worst he had ever seen. his career at Hawke’s Bay Hospital. “

She said an additional 24 patients were kept overnight in the emergency department that day because there was nowhere else to put them.

“One of the problems is that there are inadequate community beds, so, in particular for elderly or frail patients, people who need care that they can have in their own homes, there is a lack of community beds in which to free the people so that you effectively have a bed block at both ends. “

The district health board did not speak to RNZ, saying the staff was too busy.

But its chief operating officer, Chris Ash, said in a statement that there was a problem finding non-hospital care for older patients who are not seriously ill but too sick to be home.

“With high levels of hospital occupancy, it means there is less flow throughout the hospital, which affects the emergency department, as they then have trouble moving patients to a room for ongoing care,” he said.

The time spent in a ward makes it difficult to find space for new patients.

Total bed occupancy at Hawke’s Bay Hospital is nearly three percent higher than the same last year.

The most recent newspaper said that in several days in the last month, the number of patients had exceeded capacity.

Age Concern Napier manager Morag Hill helps families looking for a place where a relative can go to the hospital. He said families often don’t know where to start and find it overwhelming.

“We are aware that this is an extreme problem with older people who are being evaluated within the hospital system. They are kept in the hospital longer than necessary.”

Hawke’s Bay DHB said it hoped to come up with a plan in the next two months so people can get out of the hospital faster and get to other community facilities.

These problems are beyond Hawke’s Bay as well. Last month, Waikato Hospital warned people to stay away from the emergency room unless they needed urgent emergency care.