❓ A parliamentary question regarding the "off-stretcher" measurement in WA emergency wards, focusing on the justification for the 20-minute timeframe and data collection practices compared to other Australian jurisdictions. The answer clarifies the rationale and jurisdictional differences.
AnsweredQoN 3615Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the development of the “off-stretcher” measurement for emergency wards in Western Australian public hospitals, and I ask: (a) what was the justification for the period of time on which the percentage is based to be 20 minutes rather than other times; (b) is this measurement used in other Australian jurisdictions, and if so, which ones; (c) is the data from this measurement being reported to a Federal agency, authority or department; (d) If yes to (c): (i) to which organizations is it being reported; and (ii) are these organizations publishing the data, and if so in what manner; (e) is the Minister or Department aware of any differences between the way this data is collected between Australian jurisdictions; and (f) if yes to (e), in what ways does each jurisdiction differ from Western Australia?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
24 March 2015
Responded by
Minister for Health
Response time
27 days
(a) Off-stretcher time is the duration between an ambulance arriving at hospital and the patient being transferred from the care of the ambulance crew into the care of the hospital's emergency department staff.
The agreed measure for Western Australian hospitals is 'percentage of cases off-stretcher within 20 minutes'. Consultation with St John Ambulance (SJA) (which included SJA historical data) and emergency department senior clinicians resulted in a consensus that 20 minutes was determined as a reasonable time to hand over a patient to emergency department staff.
(b) Yes. The 'off stretcher' measurement or equivalent is used by New South Wales (NSW), Queensland (Qld), Victoria (Vic) and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). The period of time for the measurement varies between the jurisdictions with WA and the ACT using 20 minutes, NSW and Qld using 30 minutes and Vic using 40 minutes.
(c) No.
(d)(i-ii) Not applicable.
(e) Yes. In other jurisdictions the available data is collected by the state authority responsible for ambulance service provision.
(f) WA data are collected by the external ambulance service provider, SJA.
The agreed measure for Western Australian hospitals is 'percentage of cases off-stretcher within 20 minutes'. Consultation with St John Ambulance (SJA) (which included SJA historical data) and emergency department senior clinicians resulted in a consensus that 20 minutes was determined as a reasonable time to hand over a patient to emergency department staff.
(b) Yes. The 'off stretcher' measurement or equivalent is used by New South Wales (NSW), Queensland (Qld), Victoria (Vic) and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). The period of time for the measurement varies between the jurisdictions with WA and the ACT using 20 minutes, NSW and Qld using 30 minutes and Vic using 40 minutes.
(c) No.
(d)(i-ii) Not applicable.
(e) Yes. In other jurisdictions the available data is collected by the state authority responsible for ambulance service provision.
(f) WA data are collected by the external ambulance service provider, SJA.
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