Up to 30 per cent of patients in New South Wales (NSW) public hospitals would be better off in more appropriate facilities such as aged care homes, the health minister says.
Hospitals are increasingly being filled with patients who could be treated by a GP, as well as patients waiting for a place in aged care and those needing disability services occupying beds needed for acute care.
“It is a huge problem right across NSW,” Brad Hazzard told reporters on Wednesday.
“At any one time, we are probably looking at between 500 and 1000 patients in our hospitals—so the equivalent of two very large hospitals occupied by people who are waiting to get into aged care or needing services for disabilities,” he said….