Winter continues to put pressure on our already struggling health system, with record numbers of patients turning to emergency departments leaving hospital staff worried they cannot keep up.
With Christchurch Hospital Emergency Department admitting up to 380 patients per day, some non-cases are waiting seven hours to be seen.
Clinical director Dr Mark Gilbert says they’re one of many EDs nationwide that are understaffed, under-resourced and fighting still fighting a wave of winter illnesses.
READ MORE: Canterbury residents urged to save ED for emergencies
“Largely comes down to a lack of capacity on the wards so again as we all know there’s a significant nursing shortage at the moment so we're really struggling to staff beds up on the wards, so this simply means the hospitals aren’t big enough.”
While Minister for Health Andrew Little has blamed Covid and a surge of respiratory illnesses, Registered Doctors Association’s Dr Rosa Tobin Stickings says these are systemic issues that stretch back years.
“There's been long-term under-investment in staffing in health care not much forward planning, looking at our workforce pipeline, and how many people actually need to be employed to keep up with the demand.
“It's going to keep increasing.”
Te Whatu Ora (Health New Zealand) says hospital staff are being freed up to support areas that are struggling, and it's continuing with a comprehensive recruitment campaign.
Dr Mark Gilbert says there’s likely no one solution, but more nurses would help ease the strain and fill a gaping hole in the health workforce.
“No doubt we need more nurses in New Zealand we're about three and a half thousand short.”
More GPs would also boost the frontline care available to the community, to deal with mild illnesses in patients who otherwise might have turned up in ED.
But while Gilbert says they’re struggling, urgent care will always be given to those in need.
“If you turn up and you're incredibly unwell, you'll get seen immediately.
“I’m still confident we can provide that care.
Te Whatu Ora Waitaha Canterbury acting chief medical officer Dr Richard Laing has asked people to save the Emergency Department for emergencies.
“Please remember if you are really unwell, we want to see you. I want to apologise to those who are having to wait,” Laing said in a media release on Tuesday.
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