Unbelievable: Senior spends nearly 19 Hours on hospital ER floor due to bed shortage

Living in the 21st century, we're fortunate to have access to advanced medical facilities and services.

It's hard to envision a world without healthcare resources readily available.



Yet, our faith in these services was challenged when we heard about Gary, a 57-year-old man forced to endure nearly 19 hours on the cold floor of a Sydney hospital emergency room.


compressed-garry.jpeg
Gary, a Sydney man, endured an almost 19-hour wait in the waiting room of Blacktown Hospital's emergency department. Source: 2GB Sydney Radio.



Now you must be wondering what unfortunate events led Gary to such a predicament.

Believe it or not, it was due to a shortage of beds at Blacktown Hospital.

Gary was pointed towards the hospital around noon by his GP following a severe laceration on his leg.

But instead of receiving immediate care, he had to wait long into the following day.

The lack of available beds resulted in him spending the night on the cold, hard, and far-from-comfortable emergency room floor.



But the next day, at 6 am, he was still waiting to be admitted.

'I got here at midday yesterday to have a lacerated leg treated... but it's now 6 in the morning, and I'm still here waiting,' Gary revealed in his call to 2GB radio host Ben Fordham.

Gary added, ‘I was lying on the tiles because there's no bed. I got my own jumper and folded it up to make a pillow, but then I got a bit cold.’

According to his account, there were approximately 40 people in the overcrowded emergency department waiting room when he made the call.



Among them, ten individuals had been waiting for around 18 to 24 hours. Others have expressed their own frustrations with the healthcare system, with one person even calling it ‘disgraceful’.

Ben Fordham took to Facebook and asked in a post, ‘When did Australia become a third-world country? Our healthcare system certainly has.’

However, many replied and said this situation is ‘nothing new’.

Some individuals have observed that this issue has persisted for years, not only in New South Wales (NSW) but also in other Australian states.

Another person pointed out that it is a common problem even in Tasmania.



In August of the previous year, a tragic incident occurred when an elderly woman in her early 70s passed away after waiting nine hours for a hospital bed in Tasmania.


compressed-garry 2.jpeg
The situation is not isolated to one hospital but rather a broader issue faced by hospitals nationwide, with people waiting for hours in crowded waiting rooms. Source: 2GB Sydney Radio.



The growing pressure on healthcare facilities nationwide underscores the need for urgent attention and improvements to address these challenges.

The patient arrived in an ambulance at Launceston General Hospital but had to endure prolonged ‘ramping’ due to the overcrowded emergency department.

Ramping occurs when patients are made to wait inside ambulances because of overcrowding in emergency rooms, and this is a pressing issue faced by hospitals across the country.



Fordham criticised the state's fragmented healthcare system, emphasising that urgent action is needed from NSW Premier Chris Minns.

He pointed out, ‘You can't have someone sleeping on the floor of the emergency department coming up to 19 hours.’

In June, NSW Health Minister Ryan Park acknowledged the struggling hospital system and promised measures to mitigate the strain.

'We know patients can suffer when our emergency departments are overcrowded, and there are delays in the transfer of care from our paramedics to our hospital clinicians,' he said.

The government's solution thus far includes committing $175 million to recruit an additional 1200 nurses by 2027, implementing 25 Urgent Care Services, and introducing virtual healthcare services.



However, Gerard Hayes, Health Services Union NSW Secretary, felt the solution requires an improvement in employment conditions.

Attracting more health workers will lead to better healthcare, and in doing so, earnings and benefits must be more appealing.

He stated, ‘The best and fastest way to improve the hospital performance in NSW is by resolving the attraction and retention crisis.’



Key Takeaways
  • An injured man named Gary had to wait almost 19 hours in the emergency room of Blacktown Hospital due to a lack of available beds.
  • People have voiced their frustration at the healthcare system, with some likening it to that of a third-world country.
  • NSW Health Minister Ryan Park says the state government recognises the issue and plans to hire more hospital staff and introduce measures to ease the strain on the healthcare system.
  • Health Services Union NSW Secretary Gerard Hayes advocates for improving wages and conditions to attract and retain more health workers to improve hospital performance.

Let us not forget the importance of our collective voice in demanding change. Our healthcare system should reflect the advanced and compassionate society we strive to be.

How do you feel about the current state of healthcare in Australia, and what measures do you believe should be taken to address this problem? We'd love to hear your opinions and insights on this critical matter.
 
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There will be even LESS money spent on Health now the Jobseeker payment is going up by another $56 a fortnight. Boy did I do the wrong thing by working all my adult life to retire on a Pension $ 40 more than some who have NEVER worked
The thing I can't get my head around is WHY is there people who have never worked? Why do we keep paying money to them ? I know people will say that you can't leave them to starve. I do know a couple of people on jobseeker who have worked, but are now in their early 60's and were either forced out of a job or had medical problems. Those I don't mind paying for.
 
Living in the 21st century, we're fortunate to have access to advanced medical facilities and services.

It's hard to envision a world without healthcare resources readily available.



Yet, our faith in these services was challenged when we heard about Gary, a 57-year-old man forced to endure nearly 19 hours on the cold floor of a Sydney hospital emergency room.


View attachment 26104
Gary, a Sydney man, endured an almost 19-hour wait in the waiting room of Blacktown Hospital's emergency department. Source: 2GB Sydney Radio.



Now you must be wondering what unfortunate events led Gary to such a predicament.

Believe it or not, it was due to a shortage of beds at Blacktown Hospital.

Gary was pointed towards the hospital around noon by his GP following a severe laceration on his leg.

But instead of receiving immediate care, he had to wait long into the following day.

The lack of available beds resulted in him spending the night on the cold, hard, and far-from-comfortable emergency room floor.



But the next day, at 6 am, he was still waiting to be admitted.

'I got here at midday yesterday to have a lacerated leg treated... but it's now 6 in the morning, and I'm still here waiting,' Gary revealed in his call to 2GB radio host Ben Fordham.

Gary added, ‘I was lying on the tiles because there's no bed. I got my own jumper and folded it up to make a pillow, but then I got a bit cold.’

According to his account, there were approximately 40 people in the overcrowded emergency department waiting room when he made the call.



Among them, ten individuals had been waiting for around 18 to 24 hours. Others have expressed their own frustrations with the healthcare system, with one person even calling it ‘disgraceful’.

Ben Fordham took to Facebook and asked in a post, ‘When did Australia become a third-world country? Our healthcare system certainly has.’

However, many replied and said this situation is ‘nothing new’.

Some individuals have observed that this issue has persisted for years, not only in New South Wales (NSW) but also in other Australian states.

Another person pointed out that it is a common problem even in Tasmania.



In August of the previous year, a tragic incident occurred when an elderly woman in her early 70s passed away after waiting nine hours for a hospital bed in Tasmania.


View attachment 26105
The situation is not isolated to one hospital but rather a broader issue faced by hospitals nationwide, with people waiting for hours in crowded waiting rooms. Source: 2GB Sydney Radio.



The growing pressure on healthcare facilities nationwide underscores the need for urgent attention and improvements to address these challenges.

The patient arrived in an ambulance at Launceston General Hospital but had to endure prolonged ‘ramping’ due to the overcrowded emergency department.

Ramping occurs when patients are made to wait inside ambulances because of overcrowding in emergency rooms, and this is a pressing issue faced by hospitals across the country.



Fordham criticised the state's fragmented healthcare system, emphasising that urgent action is needed from NSW Premier Chris Minns.

He pointed out, ‘You can't have someone sleeping on the floor of the emergency department coming up to 19 hours.’

In June, NSW Health Minister Ryan Park acknowledged the struggling hospital system and promised measures to mitigate the strain.

'We know patients can suffer when our emergency departments are overcrowded, and there are delays in the transfer of care from our paramedics to our hospital clinicians,' he said.

The government's solution thus far includes committing $175 million to recruit an additional 1200 nurses by 2027, implementing 25 Urgent Care Services, and introducing virtual healthcare services.



However, Gerard Hayes, Health Services Union NSW Secretary, felt the solution requires an improvement in employment conditions.

Attracting more health workers will lead to better healthcare, and in doing so, earnings and benefits must be more appealing.

He stated, ‘The best and fastest way to improve the hospital performance in NSW is by resolving the attraction and retention crisis.’



Key Takeaways

  • An injured man named Gary had to wait almost 19 hours in the emergency room of Blacktown Hospital due to a lack of available beds.
  • People have voiced their frustration at the healthcare system, with some likening it to that of a third-world country.
  • NSW Health Minister Ryan Park says the state government recognises the issue and plans to hire more hospital staff and introduce measures to ease the strain on the healthcare system.
  • Health Services Union NSW Secretary Gerard Hayes advocates for improving wages and conditions to attract and retain more health workers to improve hospital performance.

Let us not forget the importance of our collective voice in demanding change. Our healthcare system should reflect the advanced and compassionate society we strive to be.

How do you feel about the current state of healthcare in Australia, and what measures do you believe should be taken to address this problem? We'd love to hear your opinions and insights on this critical matter.
Do we bring our camping beds to the hospital now ? What is going on in this country ? It’s worse then Yemen or other African country now ? 😢
 
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Living in the 21st century, we're fortunate to have access to advanced medical facilities and services.

It's hard to envision a world without healthcare resources readily available.



Yet, our faith in these services was challenged when we heard about Gary, a 57-year-old man forced to endure nearly 19 hours on the cold floor of a Sydney hospital emergency room.


View attachment 26104
Gary, a Sydney man, endured an almost 19-hour wait in the waiting room of Blacktown Hospital's emergency department. Source: 2GB Sydney Radio.



Now you must be wondering what unfortunate events led Gary to such a predicament.

Believe it or not, it was due to a shortage of beds at Blacktown Hospital.

Gary was pointed towards the hospital around noon by his GP following a severe laceration on his leg.

But instead of receiving immediate care, he had to wait long into the following day.

The lack of available beds resulted in him spending the night on the cold, hard, and far-from-comfortable emergency room floor.



But the next day, at 6 am, he was still waiting to be admitted.

'I got here at midday yesterday to have a lacerated leg treated... but it's now 6 in the morning, and I'm still here waiting,' Gary revealed in his call to 2GB radio host Ben Fordham.

Gary added, ‘I was lying on the tiles because there's no bed. I got my own jumper and folded it up to make a pillow, but then I got a bit cold.’

According to his account, there were approximately 40 people in the overcrowded emergency department waiting room when he made the call.



Among them, ten individuals had been waiting for around 18 to 24 hours. Others have expressed their own frustrations with the healthcare system, with one person even calling it ‘disgraceful’.

Ben Fordham took to Facebook and asked in a post, ‘When did Australia become a third-world country? Our healthcare system certainly has.’

However, many replied and said this situation is ‘nothing new’.

Some individuals have observed that this issue has persisted for years, not only in New South Wales (NSW) but also in other Australian states.

Another person pointed out that it is a common problem even in Tasmania.



In August of the previous year, a tragic incident occurred when an elderly woman in her early 70s passed away after waiting nine hours for a hospital bed in Tasmania.


View attachment 26105
The situation is not isolated to one hospital but rather a broader issue faced by hospitals nationwide, with people waiting for hours in crowded waiting rooms. Source: 2GB Sydney Radio.



The growing pressure on healthcare facilities nationwide underscores the need for urgent attention and improvements to address these challenges.

The patient arrived in an ambulance at Launceston General Hospital but had to endure prolonged ‘ramping’ due to the overcrowded emergency department.

Ramping occurs when patients are made to wait inside ambulances because of overcrowding in emergency rooms, and this is a pressing issue faced by hospitals across the country.



Fordham criticised the state's fragmented healthcare system, emphasising that urgent action is needed from NSW Premier Chris Minns.

He pointed out, ‘You can't have someone sleeping on the floor of the emergency department coming up to 19 hours.’

In June, NSW Health Minister Ryan Park acknowledged the struggling hospital system and promised measures to mitigate the strain.

'We know patients can suffer when our emergency departments are overcrowded, and there are delays in the transfer of care from our paramedics to our hospital clinicians,' he said.

The government's solution thus far includes committing $175 million to recruit an additional 1200 nurses by 2027, implementing 25 Urgent Care Services, and introducing virtual healthcare services.



However, Gerard Hayes, Health Services Union NSW Secretary, felt the solution requires an improvement in employment conditions.

Attracting more health workers will lead to better healthcare, and in doing so, earnings and benefits must be more appealing.

He stated, ‘The best and fastest way to improve the hospital performance in NSW is by resolving the attraction and retention crisis.’



Key Takeaways

  • An injured man named Gary had to wait almost 19 hours in the emergency room of Blacktown Hospital due to a lack of available beds.
  • People have voiced their frustration at the healthcare system, with some likening it to that of a third-world country.
  • NSW Health Minister Ryan Park says the state government recognises the issue and plans to hire more hospital staff and introduce measures to ease the strain on the healthcare system.
  • Health Services Union NSW Secretary Gerard Hayes advocates for improving wages and conditions to attract and retain more health workers to improve hospital performance.

Let us not forget the importance of our collective voice in demanding change. Our healthcare system should reflect the advanced and compassionate society we strive to be.

How do you feel about the current state of healthcare in Australia, and what measures do you believe should be taken to address this problem? We'd love to hear your opinions and insights on this critical matter.
I went to ER (NSW) on Saturday fearing I might be having another heart attack. I could not have asked for better care.
People need to understand that it's not the health system that is at fault. If there are not beds it could mean that there is no staff to attend to those beds which in turn means waiting time anyway. If one is in the waiting room and has been there for some time, ask a nurse for a blanket, a pillow or something you might need. Keeping quiet is not the answer. And most importantly the doctors and nurses are only human and there is just so much they can do.
Let's be grateful we have hospital to go to. Some third world countries don't have any. I know....I have been to a few.
 
Living in the 21st century, we're fortunate to have access to advanced medical facilities and services.

It's hard to envision a world without healthcare resources readily available.



Yet, our faith in these services was challenged when we heard about Gary, a 57-year-old man forced to endure nearly 19 hours on the cold floor of a Sydney hospital emergency room.


View attachment 26104
Gary, a Sydney man, endured an almost 19-hour wait in the waiting room of Blacktown Hospital's emergency department. Source: 2GB Sydney Radio.



Now you must be wondering what unfortunate events led Gary to such a predicament.

Believe it or not, it was due to a shortage of beds at Blacktown Hospital.

Gary was pointed towards the hospital around noon by his GP following a severe laceration on his leg.

But instead of receiving immediate care, he had to wait long into the following day.

The lack of available beds resulted in him spending the night on the cold, hard, and far-from-comfortable emergency room floor.



But the next day, at 6 am, he was still waiting to be admitted.

'I got here at midday yesterday to have a lacerated leg treated... but it's now 6 in the morning, and I'm still here waiting,' Gary revealed in his call to 2GB radio host Ben Fordham.

Gary added, ‘I was lying on the tiles because there's no bed. I got my own jumper and folded it up to make a pillow, but then I got a bit cold.’

According to his account, there were approximately 40 people in the overcrowded emergency department waiting room when he made the call.



Among them, ten individuals had been waiting for around 18 to 24 hours. Others have expressed their own frustrations with the healthcare system, with one person even calling it ‘disgraceful’.

Ben Fordham took to Facebook and asked in a post, ‘When did Australia become a third-world country? Our healthcare system certainly has.’

However, many replied and said this situation is ‘nothing new’.

Some individuals have observed that this issue has persisted for years, not only in New South Wales (NSW) but also in other Australian states.

Another person pointed out that it is a common problem even in Tasmania.



In August of the previous year, a tragic incident occurred when an elderly woman in her early 70s passed away after waiting nine hours for a hospital bed in Tasmania.


View attachment 26105
The situation is not isolated to one hospital but rather a broader issue faced by hospitals nationwide, with people waiting for hours in crowded waiting rooms. Source: 2GB Sydney Radio.



The growing pressure on healthcare facilities nationwide underscores the need for urgent attention and improvements to address these challenges.

The patient arrived in an ambulance at Launceston General Hospital but had to endure prolonged ‘ramping’ due to the overcrowded emergency department.

Ramping occurs when patients are made to wait inside ambulances because of overcrowding in emergency rooms, and this is a pressing issue faced by hospitals across the country.



Fordham criticised the state's fragmented healthcare system, emphasising that urgent action is needed from NSW Premier Chris Minns.

He pointed out, ‘You can't have someone sleeping on the floor of the emergency department coming up to 19 hours.’

In June, NSW Health Minister Ryan Park acknowledged the struggling hospital system and promised measures to mitigate the strain.

'We know patients can suffer when our emergency departments are overcrowded, and there are delays in the transfer of care from our paramedics to our hospital clinicians,' he said.

The government's solution thus far includes committing $175 million to recruit an additional 1200 nurses by 2027, implementing 25 Urgent Care Services, and introducing virtual healthcare services.



However, Gerard Hayes, Health Services Union NSW Secretary, felt the solution requires an improvement in employment conditions.

Attracting more health workers will lead to better healthcare, and in doing so, earnings and benefits must be more appealing.

He stated, ‘The best and fastest way to improve the hospital performance in NSW is by resolving the attraction and retention crisis.’



Key Takeaways

  • An injured man named Gary had to wait almost 19 hours in the emergency room of Blacktown Hospital due to a lack of available beds.
  • People have voiced their frustration at the healthcare system, with some likening it to that of a third-world country.
  • NSW Health Minister Ryan Park says the state government recognises the issue and plans to hire more hospital staff and introduce measures to ease the strain on the healthcare system.
  • Health Services Union NSW Secretary Gerard Hayes advocates for improving wages and conditions to attract and retain more health workers to improve hospital performance.

Let us not forget the importance of our collective voice in demanding change. Our healthcare system should reflect the advanced and compassionate society we strive to be.

How do you feel about the current state of healthcare in Australia, and what measures do you believe should be taken to address this problem? We'd love to hear your opinions and insights on this critical matter.
The elephant in the room is the number of qualified, highly trained health care professionals, who were ejected from the workforce when they refused to have COVID 19 vaccinations, and who have not been allowed to practice their various professions since then. Mandates are still in force, and, if you look at the clauses AHPRA have inserted into various Codes of Ethics, unless you are fully vaccinated against all communicable diseases, you cannot practice your very expensively paid for profession. What ever happened to bodily autonomy and freedom of choice?
 
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The elephant in the room is the number of qualified, highly trained health care professionals, who were ejected from the workforce when they refused to have COVID 19 vaccinations, and who have not been allowed to practice their various professions since then. Mandates are still in force, and, if you look at the clauses AHPRA have inserted into various Codes of Ethics, unless you are fully vaccinated against all communicable diseases, you cannot practice your very expensively paid for profession. What ever happened to bodily autonomy and freedom of choice?
Both bodily autonomy and freedom of choice are now non existent. This is what makes this country third world and this is why we have such high waiting times in hospital. And this is why I left nursing. Will NOT be coerced by those dictatorial mandates.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Trudi
Living in the 21st century, we're fortunate to have access to advanced medical facilities and services.

It's hard to envision a world without healthcare resources readily available.



Yet, our faith in these services was challenged when we heard about Gary, a 57-year-old man forced to endure nearly 19 hours on the cold floor of a Sydney hospital emergency room.


View attachment 26104
Gary, a Sydney man, endured an almost 19-hour wait in the waiting room of Blacktown Hospital's emergency department. Source: 2GB Sydney Radio.



Now you must be wondering what unfortunate events led Gary to such a predicament.

Believe it or not, it was due to a shortage of beds at Blacktown Hospital.

Gary was pointed towards the hospital around noon by his GP following a severe laceration on his leg.

But instead of receiving immediate care, he had to wait long into the following day.

The lack of available beds resulted in him spending the night on the cold, hard, and far-from-comfortable emergency room floor.



But the next day, at 6 am, he was still waiting to be admitted.

'I got here at midday yesterday to have a lacerated leg treated... but it's now 6 in the morning, and I'm still here waiting,' Gary revealed in his call to 2GB radio host Ben Fordham.

Gary added, ‘I was lying on the tiles because there's no bed. I got my own jumper and folded it up to make a pillow, but then I got a bit cold.’

According to his account, there were approximately 40 people in the overcrowded emergency department waiting room when he made the call.



Among them, ten individuals had been waiting for around 18 to 24 hours. Others have expressed their own frustrations with the healthcare system, with one person even calling it ‘disgraceful’.

Ben Fordham took to Facebook and asked in a post, ‘When did Australia become a third-world country? Our healthcare system certainly has.’

However, many replied and said this situation is ‘nothing new’.

Some individuals have observed that this issue has persisted for years, not only in New South Wales (NSW) but also in other Australian states.

Another person pointed out that it is a common problem even in Tasmania.



In August of the previous year, a tragic incident occurred when an elderly woman in her early 70s passed away after waiting nine hours for a hospital bed in Tasmania.


View attachment 26105
The situation is not isolated to one hospital but rather a broader issue faced by hospitals nationwide, with people waiting for hours in crowded waiting rooms. Source: 2GB Sydney Radio.



The growing pressure on healthcare facilities nationwide underscores the need for urgent attention and improvements to address these challenges.

The patient arrived in an ambulance at Launceston General Hospital but had to endure prolonged ‘ramping’ due to the overcrowded emergency department.

Ramping occurs when patients are made to wait inside ambulances because of overcrowding in emergency rooms, and this is a pressing issue faced by hospitals across the country.



Fordham criticised the state's fragmented healthcare system, emphasising that urgent action is needed from NSW Premier Chris Minns.

He pointed out, ‘You can't have someone sleeping on the floor of the emergency department coming up to 19 hours.’

In June, NSW Health Minister Ryan Park acknowledged the struggling hospital system and promised measures to mitigate the strain.

'We know patients can suffer when our emergency departments are overcrowded, and there are delays in the transfer of care from our paramedics to our hospital clinicians,' he said.

The government's solution thus far includes committing $175 million to recruit an additional 1200 nurses by 2027, implementing 25 Urgent Care Services, and introducing virtual healthcare services.



However, Gerard Hayes, Health Services Union NSW Secretary, felt the solution requires an improvement in employment conditions.

Attracting more health workers will lead to better healthcare, and in doing so, earnings and benefits must be more appealing.

He stated, ‘The best and fastest way to improve the hospital performance in NSW is by resolving the attraction and retention crisis.’



Key Takeaways

  • An injured man named Gary had to wait almost 19 hours in the emergency room of Blacktown Hospital due to a lack of available beds.
  • People have voiced their frustration at the healthcare system, with some likening it to that of a third-world country.
  • NSW Health Minister Ryan Park says the state government recognises the issue and plans to hire more hospital staff and introduce measures to ease the strain on the healthcare system.
  • Health Services Union NSW Secretary Gerard Hayes advocates for improving wages and conditions to attract and retain more health workers to improve hospital performance.

Let us not forget the importance of our collective voice in demanding change. Our healthcare system should reflect the advanced and compassionate society we strive to be.

How do you feel about the current state of healthcare in Australia, and what measures do you believe should be taken to address this problem? We'd love to hear your opinions and insights on this critical matter.
Whilst we the voters continue to vote for Tory politicians (yes, that's you, ALP, as well as the LNP) who bribe us with tax-cuts for the well-off, don't expect Pubic Health-care to receive proper funding so that we don't have to wait for hours on hospital floors to resolve serious injuries/illnesses.

During the last 40 years that I have been in Australia, I have seen no evidence that Australia even aspires to be a caring, compassionte society.
 
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Both bodily autonomy and freedom of choice are now non existent. This is what makes this country third world and this is why we have such high waiting times in hospital. And this is why I left nursing. Will NOT be coerced by those dictatorial mandates.
If medical professionals do not wish to be vaccinated against Covid-19 then they endanger their patients. It's that simple. Would our medical professionals refuse a mandate to be vaccinated against smallpox, should a smallpox epidemic sweep through Australia? I doubt it; smallpox leaves nasty scars on one's face and body and spoils one's beauty.
 
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The thing I can't get my head around is WHY is there people who have never worked? Why do we keep paying money to them ? I know people will say that you can't leave them to starve. I do know a couple of people on jobseeker who have worked, but are now in their early 60's and were either forced out of a job or had medical problems. Those I don't mind paying for.
Aha; the dreaded doll-bludger, wasting our money. Now about the overpaid drones in our assorted parliaments..........
 
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If medical professionals do not wish to be vaccinated against Covid-19 then they endanger their patients. It's that simple. Would our medical professionals refuse a mandate to be vaccinated against smallpox, should a smallpox epidemic sweep through Australia? I doubt it; smallpox leaves nasty scars on one's face and body and spoils one's beauty.
Bad comparison. Covid is a bad chest infection which has caused the death of vulnerable people as the flu and chest infections do every year. You need to read more and realise that covid was not the killer everyone said it was.
Then again if you want to be told what to do and not to do by govt mandates, so be it. That's your problem.
I chose my freedom.
 
I
Living in the 21st century, we're fortunate to have access to advanced medical facilities and services.

It's hard to envision a world without healthcare resources readily available.



Yet, our faith in these services was challenged when we heard about Gary, a 57-year-old man forced to endure nearly 19 hours on the cold floor of a Sydney hospital emergency room.


View attachment 26104
Gary, a Sydney man, endured an almost 19-hour wait in the waiting room of Blacktown Hospital's emergency department. Source: 2GB Sydney Radio.



Now you must be wondering what unfortunate events led Gary to such a predicament.

Believe it or not, it was due to a shortage of beds at Blacktown Hospital.

Gary was pointed towards the hospital around noon by his GP following a severe laceration on his leg.

But instead of receiving immediate care, he had to wait long into the following day.

The lack of available beds resulted in him spending the night on the cold, hard, and far-from-comfortable emergency room floor.



But the next day, at 6 am, he was still waiting to be admitted.

'I got here at midday yesterday to have a lacerated leg treated... but it's now 6 in the morning, and I'm still here waiting,' Gary revealed in his call to 2GB radio host Ben Fordham.

Gary added, ‘I was lying on the tiles because there's no bed. I got my own jumper and folded it up to make a pillow, but then I got a bit cold.’

According to his account, there were approximately 40 people in the overcrowded emergency department waiting room when he made the call.



Among them, ten individuals had been waiting for around 18 to 24 hours. Others have expressed their own frustrations with the healthcare system, with one person even calling it ‘disgraceful’.

Ben Fordham took to Facebook and asked in a post, ‘When did Australia become a third-world country? Our healthcare system certainly has.’

However, many replied and said this situation is ‘nothing new’.

Some individuals have observed that this issue has persisted for years, not only in New South Wales (NSW) but also in other Australian states.

Another person pointed out that it is a common problem even in Tasmania.



In August of the previous year, a tragic incident occurred when an elderly woman in her early 70s passed away after waiting nine hours for a hospital bed in Tasmania.


View attachment 26105
The situation is not isolated to one hospital but rather a broader issue faced by hospitals nationwide, with people waiting for hours in crowded waiting rooms. Source: 2GB Sydney Radio.



The growing pressure on healthcare facilities nationwide underscores the need for urgent attention and improvements to address these challenges.

The patient arrived in an ambulance at Launceston General Hospital but had to endure prolonged ‘ramping’ due to the overcrowded emergency department.

Ramping occurs when patients are made to wait inside ambulances because of overcrowding in emergency rooms, and this is a pressing issue faced by hospitals across the country.



Fordham criticised the state's fragmented healthcare system, emphasising that urgent action is needed from NSW Premier Chris Minns.

He pointed out, ‘You can't have someone sleeping on the floor of the emergency department coming up to 19 hours.’

In June, NSW Health Minister Ryan Park acknowledged the struggling hospital system and promised measures to mitigate the strain.

'We know patients can suffer when our emergency departments are overcrowded, and there are delays in the transfer of care from our paramedics to our hospital clinicians,' he said.

The government's solution thus far includes committing $175 million to recruit an additional 1200 nurses by 2027, implementing 25 Urgent Care Services, and introducing virtual healthcare services.



However, Gerard Hayes, Health Services Union NSW Secretary, felt the solution requires an improvement in employment conditions.

Attracting more health workers will lead to better healthcare, and in doing so, earnings and benefits must be more appealing.

He stated, ‘The best and fastest way to improve the hospital performance in NSW is by resolving the attraction and retention crisis.’



Key Takeaways

  • An injured man named Gary had to wait almost 19 hours in the emergency room of Blacktown Hospital due to a lack of available beds.
  • People have voiced their frustration at the healthcare system, with some likening it to that of a third-world country.
  • NSW Health Minister Ryan Park says the state government recognises the issue and plans to hire more hospital staff and introduce measures to ease the strain on the healthcare system.
  • Health Services Union NSW Secretary Gerard Hayes advocates for improving wages and conditions to attract and retain more health workers to improve hospital performance.

Let us not forget the importance of our collective voice in demanding change. Our healthcare system should reflect the advanced and compassionate society we strive to be.

How do you feel about the current state of healthcare in Australia, and what measures do you believe should be taken to address this problem? We'd love to hear your opinions and insights on this critical matter.
worked in an Emergency Department for a number of years in a clerical role and found that there was more than half of the people demanding to see a doctor could easily have gone to a medical centre as their problems were not an emergency in the least bit eg covid testing, toothache, nits. Hospitals in Australia are not allowed to turn anyone away but if these non emergency patients went to their Dr or a medical centre then the wait times would be reduced considerably.
 
I think the question should be is, how many of those people in the waiting room were urgent enough to require a visit to a hospital ER? The original patient was sent there by his GP to have a laceration on his leg stitched up. Because GPs no longer perform these menial tasks?
 
I

worked in an Emergency Department for a number of years in a clerical role and found that there was more than half of the people demanding to see a doctor could easily have gone to a medical centre as their problems were not an emergency in the least bit eg covid testing, toothache, nits. Hospitals in Australia are not allowed to turn anyone away but if these non emergency patients went to their Dr or a medical centre then the wait times would be reduced considerably.
Couldn't agree more. 👏
 
Living in the 21st century, we're fortunate to have access to advanced medical facilities and services.

It's hard to envision a world without healthcare resources readily available.



Yet, our faith in these services was challenged when we heard about Gary, a 57-year-old man forced to endure nearly 19 hours on the cold floor of a Sydney hospital emergency room.


View attachment 26104
Gary, a Sydney man, endured an almost 19-hour wait in the waiting room of Blacktown Hospital's emergency department. Source: 2GB Sydney Radio.



Now you must be wondering what unfortunate events led Gary to such a predicament.

Believe it or not, it was due to a shortage of beds at Blacktown Hospital.

Gary was pointed towards the hospital around noon by his GP following a severe laceration on his leg.

But instead of receiving immediate care, he had to wait long into the following day.

The lack of available beds resulted in him spending the night on the cold, hard, and far-from-comfortable emergency room floor.



But the next day, at 6 am, he was still waiting to be admitted.

'I got here at midday yesterday to have a lacerated leg treated... but it's now 6 in the morning, and I'm still here waiting,' Gary revealed in his call to 2GB radio host Ben Fordham.

Gary added, ‘I was lying on the tiles because there's no bed. I got my own jumper and folded it up to make a pillow, but then I got a bit cold.’

According to his account, there were approximately 40 people in the overcrowded emergency department waiting room when he made the call.



Among them, ten individuals had been waiting for around 18 to 24 hours. Others have expressed their own frustrations with the healthcare system, with one person even calling it ‘disgraceful’.

Ben Fordham took to Facebook and asked in a post, ‘When did Australia become a third-world country? Our healthcare system certainly has.’

However, many replied and said this situation is ‘nothing new’.

Some individuals have observed that this issue has persisted for years, not only in New South Wales (NSW) but also in other Australian states.

Another person pointed out that it is a common problem even in Tasmania.



In August of the previous year, a tragic incident occurred when an elderly woman in her early 70s passed away after waiting nine hours for a hospital bed in Tasmania.


View attachment 26105
The situation is not isolated to one hospital but rather a broader issue faced by hospitals nationwide, with people waiting for hours in crowded waiting rooms. Source: 2GB Sydney Radio.



The growing pressure on healthcare facilities nationwide underscores the need for urgent attention and improvements to address these challenges.

The patient arrived in an ambulance at Launceston General Hospital but had to endure prolonged ‘ramping’ due to the overcrowded emergency department.

Ramping occurs when patients are made to wait inside ambulances because of overcrowding in emergency rooms, and this is a pressing issue faced by hospitals across the country.



Fordham criticised the state's fragmented healthcare system, emphasising that urgent action is needed from NSW Premier Chris Minns.

He pointed out, ‘You can't have someone sleeping on the floor of the emergency department coming up to 19 hours.’

In June, NSW Health Minister Ryan Park acknowledged the struggling hospital system and promised measures to mitigate the strain.

'We know patients can suffer when our emergency departments are overcrowded, and there are delays in the transfer of care from our paramedics to our hospital clinicians,' he said.

The government's solution thus far includes committing $175 million to recruit an additional 1200 nurses by 2027, implementing 25 Urgent Care Services, and introducing virtual healthcare services.



However, Gerard Hayes, Health Services Union NSW Secretary, felt the solution requires an improvement in employment conditions.

Attracting more health workers will lead to better healthcare, and in doing so, earnings and benefits must be more appealing.

He stated, ‘The best and fastest way to improve the hospital performance in NSW is by resolving the attraction and retention crisis.’



Key Takeaways

  • An injured man named Gary had to wait almost 19 hours in the emergency room of Blacktown Hospital due to a lack of available beds.
  • People have voiced their frustration at the healthcare system, with some likening it to that of a third-world country.
  • NSW Health Minister Ryan Park says the state government recognises the issue and plans to hire more hospital staff and introduce measures to ease the strain on the healthcare system.
  • Health Services Union NSW Secretary Gerard Hayes advocates for improving wages and conditions to attract and retain more health workers to improve hospital performance.

Let us not forget the importance of our collective voice in demanding change. Our healthcare system should reflect the advanced and compassionate society we strive to be.

How do you feel about the current state of healthcare in Australia, and what measures do you believe should be taken to address this problem? We'd love to hear your opinions and insights on this critical matter.
It's a bit much saying we're a third world country. He wouldn't be saying that if he went to a hospital there. They lack medicines and equipment. We have all those things. We're short of nurses and doctors and they aren't graduating fast enough. A good many doctors are choosing to become specialists . Hence the shortage.
 
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Bad comparison. Covid is a bad chest infection which has caused the death of vulnerable people as the flu and chest infections do every year. You need to read more and realise that covid was not the killer everyone said it was.
Then again if you want to be told what to do and not to do by govt mandates, so be it. That's your problem.
I chose my freedom.
Covid-19 is far more than merely a bad chest-infection. There is plenty of scientific research to demonstrate that. As far as I am concerned I am quite happy not to have to deal with ignorant "health professionals" whose personal pride comes before their concerns for the safety of their patients. Whilst the virus may be attenuating, and let's hope it continues to do so, there is no excuse for lax personal behaviour and hygiene on the part of Australia's nurses or doctors. At one time even doctors in maternity hospitals were too proud to bother to wash their hands between examining patients, which in Dr Semmelweiss' hospital saw maternal death rates hitting 17%; after Dr Semmelweiss had mandated that the doctors should wash their hands between examining their patients, the death-rate from post-partum infection fell to 1%. Dr Semmelweiss was subsequently confined to a mental asylum for offending the pride of his fellow doctors.
 
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It's a bit much saying we're a third world country. He wouldn't be saying that if he went to a hospital there. They lack medicines and equipment. We have all those things. We're short of nurses and doctors and they aren't graduating fast enough. A good many doctors are choosing to become specialists . Hence the shortage.
All doctors commonly become specialists, whether it is your GP (a 3 year course to become a GP) or opthalmologist (6 year course). Those who don't choose to specialise usually end up as Senior Medical Registrars in our Public Hospitals and those doctors usually have a great deal of widespread experience.

The problems with becoming a medical doctor start with the ridiculously high requirements set by Australia's medical schools for entry, the very expensive university fees during by what is a six to eight years of unpaid training course (HECS debt etc) followed by two years service in Public Hospital as an itern (long hours, not a particularly good pay) followed by a specialisation course (whilst working for a living, commoly with family to feed and HECS debt to pay off at about 7-8% interest these days).
 
I lived in Zimbabwe , South Africa and Botswana. Two of these class as 3rd world. Never , ever did we have to wait that long to see anyone in emergency. Longest people have waited 4 hours and that was a long time. So seems 3rd world is better in emergency than Australia. Unacceptable. Haven't they learned from the death of that poor child waiting to be seen by anyone, parents pleas fell on deaf ears.
 
Living in the 21st century, we're fortunate to have access to advanced medical facilities and services.

It's hard to envision a world without healthcare resources readily available.



Yet, our faith in these services was challenged when we heard about Gary, a 57-year-old man forced to endure nearly 19 hours on the cold floor of a Sydney hospital emergency room.


View attachment 26104
Gary, a Sydney man, endured an almost 19-hour wait in the waiting room of Blacktown Hospital's emergency department. Source: 2GB Sydney Radio.



Now you must be wondering what unfortunate events led Gary to such a predicament.

Believe it or not, it was due to a shortage of beds at Blacktown Hospital.

Gary was pointed towards the hospital around noon by his GP following a severe laceration on his leg.

But instead of receiving immediate care, he had to wait long into the following day.

The lack of available beds resulted in him spending the night on the cold, hard, and far-from-comfortable emergency room floor.



But the next day, at 6 am, he was still waiting to be admitted.

'I got here at midday yesterday to have a lacerated leg treated... but it's now 6 in the morning, and I'm still here waiting,' Gary revealed in his call to 2GB radio host Ben Fordham.

Gary added, ‘I was lying on the tiles because there's no bed. I got my own jumper and folded it up to make a pillow, but then I got a bit cold.’

According to his account, there were approximately 40 people in the overcrowded emergency department waiting room when he made the call.



Among them, ten individuals had been waiting for around 18 to 24 hours. Others have expressed their own frustrations with the healthcare system, with one person even calling it ‘disgraceful’.

Ben Fordham took to Facebook and asked in a post, ‘When did Australia become a third-world country? Our healthcare system certainly has.’

However, many replied and said this situation is ‘nothing new’.

Some individuals have observed that this issue has persisted for years, not only in New South Wales (NSW) but also in other Australian states.

Another person pointed out that it is a common problem even in Tasmania.



In August of the previous year, a tragic incident occurred when an elderly woman in her early 70s passed away after waiting nine hours for a hospital bed in Tasmania.


View attachment 26105
The situation is not isolated to one hospital but rather a broader issue faced by hospitals nationwide, with people waiting for hours in crowded waiting rooms. Source: 2GB Sydney Radio.



The growing pressure on healthcare facilities nationwide underscores the need for urgent attention and improvements to address these challenges.

The patient arrived in an ambulance at Launceston General Hospital but had to endure prolonged ‘ramping’ due to the overcrowded emergency department.

Ramping occurs when patients are made to wait inside ambulances because of overcrowding in emergency rooms, and this is a pressing issue faced by hospitals across the country.



Fordham criticised the state's fragmented healthcare system, emphasising that urgent action is needed from NSW Premier Chris Minns.

He pointed out, ‘You can't have someone sleeping on the floor of the emergency department coming up to 19 hours.’

In June, NSW Health Minister Ryan Park acknowledged the struggling hospital system and promised measures to mitigate the strain.

'We know patients can suffer when our emergency departments are overcrowded, and there are delays in the transfer of care from our paramedics to our hospital clinicians,' he said.

The government's solution thus far includes committing $175 million to recruit an additional 1200 nurses by 2027, implementing 25 Urgent Care Services, and introducing virtual healthcare services.



However, Gerard Hayes, Health Services Union NSW Secretary, felt the solution requires an improvement in employment conditions.

Attracting more health workers will lead to better healthcare, and in doing so, earnings and benefits must be more appealing.

He stated, ‘The best and fastest way to improve the hospital performance in NSW is by resolving the attraction and retention crisis.’



Key Takeaways

  • An injured man named Gary had to wait almost 19 hours in the emergency room of Blacktown Hospital due to a lack of available beds.
  • People have voiced their frustration at the healthcare system, with some likening it to that of a third-world country.
  • NSW Health Minister Ryan Park says the state government recognises the issue and plans to hire more hospital staff and introduce measures to ease the strain on the healthcare system.
  • Health Services Union NSW Secretary Gerard Hayes advocates for improving wages and conditions to attract and retain more health workers to improve hospital performance.

Let us not forget the importance of our collective voice in demanding change. Our healthcare system should reflect the advanced and compassionate society we strive to be.

How do you feel about the current state of healthcare in Australia, and what measures do you believe should be taken to address this problem? We'd love to hear your opinions and insights on this critical matter.
Our healthcare system used to be admired y other countries but now it’s deplorable. It’s great that there’s been more nursing recruitment but what’s the pointing there’s no beds. Keeping patients in ambulances just holds up the paramedics from attending other emergencies. Life in the once lucky country has become unlucky.
 

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