"Waiting Time in the ED"

Dear novemberqb73,

Thank you for taking the time to contact Care Opinion to raise your concerns regarding the waiting time you experienced at the Joondalup Health Campus (JHC) Emergency Department (ED). We are sorry to read that your wait time was six hours and we acknowledge that waiting for treatment when you are feeling unwell can be uncomfortable and frustrating.

When arriving in ED you will be assessed by an experienced Emergency nurse using the Australasian Triage Scale (ATS) which is an assessment of clinical acuity. The ATS aims to ensure that patients are treated in order of their clinical urgency which refers to the need for time-critical intervention. Patients are seen according to the severity of the presentation.

Once triaged, patients then wait for an available location within the ED that best suits their clinical needs. The length of time a patient may wait does vary depending on clinical acuity, the area within ED the patient is allocated to and the current demands on that area. The wait time for non-life-threatening situations will vary depending on the acuity of the department. While you are waiting, the triage nurse is available to answer any queries you may have, and can also reassess you if your condition changes during this time.

The Emergency Department Team is committed to quality care for patients in our ever-growing community and consumer feedback is an important part of this process.

Kind regards,

Yours sincerely,

Michelle Young

Deputy Director of Clinical Services

Joondalup Health Campus