❓ Hon Philip Scott questions the Parliamentary Secretary for Health regarding long wait times in WA hospital emergency departments, citing constituent reports and linking the issue to COVID restrictions and immigration. The response provides data on average wait times, outlines triage targets, and details government initiatives, while dismissing the suggestion to lobby for lower immigration.
AnsweredQoN 419Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I have recently received multiple reports from constituents of the diabolical circumstances they faced when needing medical assistance in Western Australian (WA) hospital emergency departments. Patient wait times as long as 11 hours to be triaged to a hospital ward, with no communication forewarning of such long wait times. Can the Parliamentary Secretary answer the following: (a) what was the recorded average wait time for patients presenting in WA hospital emergency departments for the financial year 2024-25, and for the month of July; (b) what is the target wait time for patients presenting in WA hospital emergency departments; (c) given the WA Labor Government's oft-repeated mantra that COVID restrictions were in place to "keep everyone safe", what is the Government doing to improve WA's hospital crisis; and (d) given Premier Roger Cook has publicly laid blame with the Commonwealth for WA's failing health system, when will the Premier lobby his friends in Canberra to lower the rate of immigration, which has clearly contributed to the overburdening of WA's health system?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
17 September 2025
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health
Response time
9 days
ANSWER:
a) The table below outlines the average wait time (in minutes) for patients presenting to WA hospital emergency departments for the 2024-25 financial year and for the month of July 2025:
Triage
FY24/25
(minutes)
July 2025
(minutes)
1
0
0
2
13
14
3
104
113
4
92
95
5
59
59
All Triage
80
84
b) The Australasian Triage Scale (ATS) defines the maximum recommended waiting times that clinical care commencement by a medical practitioner or other authorised clinician (doctor, nurse practitioner, nurse, mental health practitioner or other health professional) should take when investigation, care and/or treatment is provided in accordance with an established clinical pathway defined by the emergency services.
A triage category is assigned to each patient based on the triage assessment, with triage 1 being the most urgent and triage 5 being the least urgent. This allows patients to be seen in order of clinical priority and ensures that the patients with the most urgent requirements for medical care are seen first.
Each triage category has a recommended maximum waiting time for medical assessment and treatment. Ideally, patients should be seen within the recommended maximum waiting times.
The table below outlines the recommended maximum waiting time by triage category:
Triage Category
Recommended Maximum Waiting Time
Triage 1
Immediate (in practice less than 2 minutes)
Triage 2
10 minutes
Triage 3
30 minutes
Triage 4
60 minutes
Triage 5
120 minutes
c) Key programs of work underway to optimise hospital capacity and access to care include:
d) The Premier does not intend to lobby his Commonwealth counterparts to lower the rate of immigration. The State Government remains focused on initiatives to attract, retain and support the health workforce to meet the needs of the community.
a) The table below outlines the average wait time (in minutes) for patients presenting to WA hospital emergency departments for the 2024-25 financial year and for the month of July 2025:
Triage
FY24/25
(minutes)
July 2025
(minutes)
1
0
0
2
13
14
3
104
113
4
92
95
5
59
59
All Triage
80
84
b) The Australasian Triage Scale (ATS) defines the maximum recommended waiting times that clinical care commencement by a medical practitioner or other authorised clinician (doctor, nurse practitioner, nurse, mental health practitioner or other health professional) should take when investigation, care and/or treatment is provided in accordance with an established clinical pathway defined by the emergency services.
A triage category is assigned to each patient based on the triage assessment, with triage 1 being the most urgent and triage 5 being the least urgent. This allows patients to be seen in order of clinical priority and ensures that the patients with the most urgent requirements for medical care are seen first.
Each triage category has a recommended maximum waiting time for medical assessment and treatment. Ideally, patients should be seen within the recommended maximum waiting times.
The table below outlines the recommended maximum waiting time by triage category:
Triage Category
Recommended Maximum Waiting Time
Triage 1
Immediate (in practice less than 2 minutes)
Triage 2
10 minutes
Triage 3
30 minutes
Triage 4
60 minutes
Triage 5
120 minutes
c) Key programs of work underway to optimise hospital capacity and access to care include:
d) The Premier does not intend to lobby his Commonwealth counterparts to lower the rate of immigration. The State Government remains focused on initiatives to attract, retain and support the health workforce to meet the needs of the community.
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