Record ambulance arrivals for busy Northern NSW EDs

HOSPITALS across Northern NSW Local Health District have continued to experience high emergency department (ED), ambulance and planned surgery activity, according to the latest Bureau of Health Information report.

The BHI Healthcare Quarterly Report (July-September 2025) showed 56,905 patients attended an ED at one of NNSWLHD’s eight hospitals during the quarter.

NSW Health collaborated with the Australian College of Emergency Medicine to introduce new Hospital Access Targets for local health districts focused on the time from arrival to leaving the emergency department.

From July to September 2025, 80 per cent of ED patients not needing admission or transfer to another hospital were discharged within four hours, significantly above the state result (63.2 per cent).

In the same period, NNSWLHD performed 3,994 planned surgeries, which reflected an increase of 11.8 per cent, or 422 more surgeries compared to the same period last year.

The majority of all planned surgeries (83.5 per cent) were performed within clinically recommended timeframes, and the vast majority of urgent planned surgeries (97.3 per cent) were completed on time.

NNSWLHD director of clinical operations, Lynne Weir, said the busy quarter saw the highest number of ambulance arrivals on record across the district.

“We’re continuing to see very high activity and our staff are doing an exceptional job of working collaboratively to ensure patients get the right care, in the right place, and in a timely fashion,” Weir said.

“I want to thank and commend our staff, from clinicians to administration and support staff, and cleaners and wardspeople, who work tirelessly to deliver high-quality care to all NNSWLHD patients.”

The report noted that Lismore Base Hospital is now rostering to Safe Staffing Levels in its ED, following the recruitment of more than 27 nurses earlier this year.

“The improvements at Lismore Base Hospital are a direct result of the incredible efforts of teams across the hospital, from domestic services and wards people through to nurses, doctors, and allied health staff, all working together to ensure better flow across the facility,” Weir said.

If an illness or injury is not serious or life-threatening, call Healthdirect on 1800 022 222 to speak with a registered nurse 24 hours a day.