Health New Zealand has apologized to a woman who spent 11 and a half hours at Wellington Hospital’s emergency department without being seen by a doctor.
Hospital’s Occupancy Reached 256% ‘At Some Points’
The agency said that on December 1, the emergency department reached 256% occupancy at certain points, making it one of the busiest days in recent years.
The woman, who RNZ has agreed not to name, experienced severe abdominal pain and fevers for about 24 hours before being advised by Kenepuru Hospital to go to Wellington Hospital.
She arrived at the emergency department around 12:30 p.m., spoke with reception, and was assessed by a triage nurse. Throughout the wait, she experienced intense pain and repeatedly sought pain medication from the triage nurse.
After waiting for 10 hours, she became “visibly upset” and “frustrated,” prompting staff to inquire if anyone had discussed her blood test results with her.
She described the experience as “scary,” stating she was afraid of what might happen if she didn’t receive medical attention.
After approximately 11 hours, she requested to speak with the charge nurse, who explained that staff shortages and a lack of available beds were contributing to the delays.
She left with her husband shortly after 2 a.m. the following morning, after being informed it was unclear when she could be admitted.
The woman later experienced vomiting on a work trip to Christchurch and was transferred via ambulance to Christchurch Hospital, where she underwent further testing, including CT scans and blood and urine tests.
She acknowledged the pressures Wellington Hospital was under but noted that communication at Christchurch Hospital was clearer and more efficient.
‘Very Sorry’ – Health NZ
The woman submitted a formal complaint to the hospital. In a response from the ED’s operations manager, Julia Mitchell, the hospital apologized for the long wait, stating it did not reflect the standard of care they aim to provide.
Mitchell said December 1 was an exceptionally busy day, with occupancy at 145% when the woman arrived, increasing to 256% later in the day.
“When the hospital inpatient service is also over capacity this impacts on our ability to move those who require it, into inpatient wards. Both situations affect our ability in ED to see patients in a timely manner,” Mitchell said.
Health NZ’s goal is for 95% of patients to be admitted, discharged, or transferred from an emergency department within six hours by 2030. Capital and Coast currently achieves this target 50% of the time, according to Health NZ’s latest results from July to September 2023.
A Cabinet Paper released last year indicated that Wellington ED’s services were unable to meet demand and had a constraining layout, resulting in one in ten patients not waiting to see a clinician and one-third being treated in corridors.
The government announced a major upgrade to Wellington Hospital last June, including a new emergency department and 126 additional beds and treatment spaces.
Health NZ did not provide RNZ with information regarding the current average wait-time at Wellington ED or how many times the ED has exceeded 100% occupancy in November or December.
Capital Coast & Hutt Valley’s group director of operations, Jamie Duncan, stated that occupancy levels had not reached the same highs as December 1 by mid-December.
“We are very sorry for the upset and distress this patient experienced during her visit to Wellington Hospital’s Emergency Department on 1 December,” Duncan said.
The patient was triaged with a code of 3 due to pain, her vital signs were normal, she received pain relief, and blood tests were taken and reviewed by a senior medical officer, who found them to be normal.
Duncan added that patients are prioritized according to clinical need, not the order of their arrival, and that all decisions are made by experienced clinical teams with patient safety as the top priority.
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