NSW public hospitals recorded improvements in ED performance, surgery wait times and fewer semi-urgent and non-urgent presentations in the latest Bureau of Health Information quarterly report - which has coincided with more staff in the EDs; more investment in more surgeries; and the expansion of virtual care across the state.
However, the gains have been offset by a surge in the number of Commonwealth patients stranded in our hospitals waiting for commonwealth aged care or NDIS placements.
Overdue surgeries reducing
At the end of the quarter, the number of patients who had waited longer than clinically recommended for their surgery was 3,845, down from 17,070 compared to three years ago.
It coincides with over $200 million in investment to undertake more surgeries to clear the backlog.
ED performance improvements
The proportion of triage 2 patients with life threatening conditions being treated on time increased in the October December 2025 quarter compared to three years ago.
There was particular improvement in Western Sydney - the proportion of T2 patients treated on time increasing by almost a half compared to three years ago (from 27 percent to 37.9).
There was also improvement in South West Sydney - the proportion of T2 patients treated on time (from 50.7 per cent to 57 per cent).
Notable hospitals which have improved the proportion of T2 patients treated on time compared to three years ago include:
- Blacktown Hospital, tripled (from 12.9 percent of patients to 40.8)
- Mount Druitt Hospital, doubled (from 21 per cent of patients to 44.2)
- Campbelltown Hospital, improved by more than a half (from 36.8 percent of patients to 59.5)
- Auburn Hospital, improved by more than a quarter (from 50.7 percent of patients to 65.5)
Across the state, the number of semi-urgent and non-urgent patients presenting to EDs decreased by over 26,000 in the October to December 2025 quarter when compared to the same quarter three years earlier (371,136 compared to 344,738 patients)- coinciding with an increase uptake of alternative pathways to care outside of the hospital, including Healthdirect and the expansion of virtual care services across NSW.
Stranded commonwealth patients surge
The improvements in hospital performance has been offset by a surge in the number of stranded patients waiting in our hospitals for Commonwealth aged care or NDIS placements.
The number of stranded patients in NSW public hospitals has increased by 50 per cent over the year to 31 December 2025.
The number of patients ready to be discharged but waiting for a commonwealth aged care placement has almost doubled from 438 to 776.
The number of stranded patients in Western Sydney has almost doubled, with the number of stranded patients at Westmead Hospital more than doubling.
The number of stranded patients in South West Sydney has increased by over 50 per cent, with the number of stranded patients at Liverpool Hospital more than tripling.
The number of stranded patients in the Illawarra South Coast has increased by almost 30 per cent, with the number of stranded patients at Wollongong Hospital doubling.
As at 31 December 2025, bed block was responsible for the loss of 67,680 bed days - up from 41,345 in December 2024 - meaning not only are stranded patients increasing in our hospitals, they're also waiting longer.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health, Ryan Park:
"Our hospitals continue to show signs of progress and improvement in terms of ED and surgery wait times, which has coincided with our investments in more hospitals, more staff, and more pathways to care outside of the hospital.
"We're focused on saving our EDs for the patients who need it most while sparing people who don't require emergency care an unnecessary wait.
"These improvements however are being offset by commonwealth bed block - patients ready to be discharged but unable to leave because they are waiting for Commonwealth aged care or NDIS placements. They deserve better.
"I am so grateful for the additional help and assistance our federal colleagues announced last week, but there is more work to be done."
