Bunbury Hospital ambulance ramping among WA’s worst

Ambulances are spending more time than ever queued up outside Bunbury Hospital in a sign of major struggles in the health system, the State’s Opposition claims.

WA Liberal leader Libby Mettam this week singled out Bunbury’s difficulties with ambulances which are the worst recorded in the South West since reporting began.

Figures provided by St John WA showed 2024 was the worst year for the time ambulances spent idle outside the hospital, with the peak during the month of September — 192 hours — far eclipsing the previous worst result of 144.2 hours in July 2023.

While hours had dropped back since the September peak, volatility in the figures remained.

Ms Mettam went on the attack last week claiming Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson cited incorrect figures in Parliament to defend the State Government’s record on ramping, though 2024 Statewide was only marginally worse than 2023 and an improvement on WA’s 2022 figures.

However, the ramping hours at Bunbury bucked that trend to show a steady upwards trajectory since ramping first started becoming a serious consideration in 2019.

“With a part-time health minister, it’s no wonder Bunbury has experienced its worst November on record,” Ms Mettam said.

“Nowhere has suffered more from WA Labor’s divestment in health care than regional WA.

“Like the rest of regional WA, Bunbury deserves a government which makes regional health a priority.”

St John WA figures showed July 2023 was the previous worst surge in ramping compared to 118.2 hours in June 2022.

Health authorities told the Times an extended cold and flu season was a big contributor to the backlog of ambulances, which was a Statewide factor.

“It’s important to remember that when patients arrive at any hospital, they are prioritised for care according to how sick they are,” a Bunbury Regional Hospital spokesperson said.

“This is regardless of their mode of transport and ensures high priority patients are seen before those with less serious conditions.

“While we never want to keep any of our patients waiting, if an ambulance is ramped it’s because our clinicians are working hard to care for the most urgent cases first.”

Ms Sanderson’s office told the Times major investment was helping to drive ramping hours downwards and that decrease in pressure would become more evident once the “longer-than-expected flu and pneumonia season is behind us”.

However, smaller emergency departments like at Bunbury meant fluctuations made careful consideration of the data important, a spokesperson said.

“The capacity at Bunbury Regional Hospital was increased in late 2022 with the opening of a 30-bed modular ward,” the spokesperson said.

“As well as this, the State Government has committed $451.1 million to deliver an expanded emergency department, increased operating theatre capacity, new clinical equipment, new emergency access and mental health facilities.

“To further bolster capacity at the facility, the State has also invested $8.9m to support patient flow at some of country WA’s busiest hospitals, including at Bunbury.”

A St John WA spokesperson said ramping figures were only one indicator of the function of the health system.