Sydney doctors call mental health waits at Westmead immoral
Medical professionals report that individuals with severe psychological conditions wait as long as six days at the emergency unit of Westmead Hospital in Sydney.
Patients wait over four days
Twelve patients with acute mental illness were confirmed to be in the emergency department as of Monday afternoon. Seven individuals had been present for more than 100 hours while others waited up to 148 hours total. The longest stretch recorded exceeded six days for those awaiting transfer to Cumberland Hospital. Each patient was experiencing psychotic illness and remained held involuntarily within the busy facility.
Hospital staff describe dangerous conditions
An anonymous doctor stated that sleeping in the emergency department is not a therapeutic or restful environment. The location is constantly lit, busy and noisy which prevents patients from receiving adequate care. Staff expressed concern about the potential danger to workers alongside unrelated medical issues around them. This situation has been described as unprecedented and immoral by medical professionals working at the site.
Minister cites high demand pressures
Mental Health Minister Rose Jackson stated that extended wait times are below her desired experience for anyone accessing the system. She observed that Westmead and the Western Sydney Local Health District face high demand right now. Construction of a new centre is underway to deliver a substantial increase in regional beds. Data from September indicated that only 49.1 per cent of patients were treated promptly at this site.
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