BY DAKOTA TAIT
The latest Bureau of Health Information data has revealed, almost a quarter of patients are leaving the Emergency Department at Maitland Hospital early.
The quarterly report found 24.91 percent of patients left without completing their treatment, not only the highest number in New South Wales, but a new record.
39.5 percent of patients who waited for treatment, spent more than four hours in the waiting room.
Maitland MP Jenny Aitchison says it's proof the health system is in crisis.
"I think it's just showing the lack of staffing in the system," she said. "We've got a really dire state of the health system in Maitland particularly."
"It's not fair on hardworking staff in those sections, and the nurses and the midwives. It's contributing to ramping with the ambulances."
"We're just seeing a huge increase in the number of people that are coming into the hospital over the last little while, with the new relocation, but we just haven't seen enough staff being able to get in there to do the work."
Across the state, 62.8 percent of all emergency patients started their treatment on time, and one in five who left early returned within three days.
The Nurses and Midwives Association has reiterated its calls for nurse-to-patient ratios in public hospitals, as well as action to ease the pressure on staff and ensure patient safety.
Ms Aitchison says the situation is "unacceptable".
"We're hearing, routinely, people waiting almost 24 hours to be seen," she said. "I've heard of a case of someone waiting on an emergency bed for 100 hours."
"Now that is just absolutely unacceptable, and really needs to be addressed."
