Ambulance ramping hits highest ever hours for May, sparking concerns for winter demand on WA hospitals

The number of hours ambulances were ramped at WA hospitals in May was the highest ever on record for the month. The latest St John statistics revealed the number of hours ambulance crews spent waiting to transfer a patient over to hospitals’ care reached 5333 hours in May. The previous highest May on record was 5257 hours in 2022. It comes with the flu season spiking earlier than usual with 1503 cases recorded last month — 642 more cases than the previous year. Shadow health minister Libby Mettam seized on the ramping figures, saying the State Government had prioritised bare-knuckle boxing and the Burswood race track over a broken health system. “The May figures for ambulance ramping are the worst ever on record, pointing to a government whose priorities are all wrong,” Ms Mettam said. “Bare-knuckle fighting nobody wants, State-sanctioned violence nobody wants, and a race track that nobody wants and meanwhile, we have a hospital system which is on its knees. “(It) raises real questions about this government’s priorities.” She called on the Government to create a surge plan for the winter flu season to ensure there were enough staff and better support for frontline health services. Health Minister Meredith Hammat said the Government was preparing for the additional demand hospitals will face this winter. “Ramping is a nationwide issue with a range of complex contributing factors. Our Government is throwing everything we can at it,” she said. “The US just experienced its worst flu season in 16 years, and we’ve used that information to prepare for the additional demand this winter will likely bring to WA. “This will be our first winter with our new State Health Operation Centre monitoring and managing demand across our entire health system. “For ambulances, this means live feedback to ensure patients are being transported to the hospital where they’ll receive the appropriate care fastest. “Please, if you haven’t done so already, get your free flu vaccination and protect yourself and your loved ones this winter.”