Griffith Base Hospital saw a 15.1 per cent jump in emergency department attendances in the final quarter of last year compared to 2018, according to new data released.
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Figures released by the Bureau of Health Information indicate Griffith Base Hospital saw 6230 attendances between October and December of 2019, an increase of 816 from the same period in 2018.
The increase was the largest percentage increase across any of the state's hospitals classed as C1 - the second lowest classification registered by the Bureau - or larger.
Across the state, there was a 3.6 per cent increase.
However, the hospital was performing better than their peer group in terms of patients beginning treatment on time, with 83.9 per cent of all emergency presentations beginning treatment within the correct timeframe.
The hospital ranked fourth in terms of patients spending four hours or less in the emergency department among their peers, with 77.8 per cent of all cases dealt with in four hours or less - placing behind only the Broken Hill, Murwillumbah and Ryde services.
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The data comes as the NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association (NSWNMA) call for the state government to bring forward a planned 5000 health worker increase in light of the increased pressures on emergency departments and the evolving COVID-19 pandemic.
NSWNMA general secretary Brett Holmes said while the association appreciates the government's broader public health response towards dealing with COVID-19, more needs to be done to boost frontline nursing numbers.
"Nurses and midwives were already facing burn-out and fatigue after a difficult winter, but they pushed on through summer and the devastating bushfire season, only to be confronted with the global health crisis that is COVID-19," Mr Holmes said.
"The government promised 5,000 extra nurses and midwives at the last election, with the majority to be allocated in the latter part of their four-year term.
"We implore the NSW Government to acknowledge its own hospital data.
"Yet again, it shows just how much nurses are battling on, feeling under-resourced, unsupported and under mounting pressure.