- June to August highest-pressure months, this winter particularly severe
- Category 1 emergency department (ED) presentations rise by 55 per cent over eight years
- Category 1 ED presentations up by 44 per cent in same period
Despite winter challenges, WA Health continues to provide high-quality care for Western Australians while working to transform and modernise the system to meet future needs.
Director General Dr Shirley Bowen acknowledged that a high volume of complex patient presentations had contributed to pressure on WA's public hospitals this winter.
"My priority remains providing safe care for our patients and WA Health's workforce is working hard to achieve this. I am proud of our healthcare workers, and I thank them," she said.
"What I'd like to say to Western Australians is that we are doing everything we can to ensure you, and your loved ones can access the healthcare you need."
Dr Bowen said that critically ill patients would always be prioritised.
"Ambulance ramping is one of the most visible challenges facing our health system, and those around the nation, and we take it very seriously," she said.
"There is no one 'cause', there are many factors which contribute to demand, including high levels of winter respiratory illness, and issues such as road trauma, mental health and drug-related presentations."
Another major factor was WA's ageing population, and the complexity of medical issues that older people were now facing. These patients are presenting with multiple health conditions that require lengthy treatment.
"We're looking at how we can help elderly people in a hospital bed awaiting aged care. As a result, new models of care are being planned and implemented.
"I have a vision to transform our services, how we care for older Western Australians, and to deliver care to people in new ways, closer to or in their homes – we want to keep people out of hospital."
