Elective surgery cases are also cancelled, endangering the health and well-being of patients. As is usually the case, state Health Minister John Day blamed winter illnesses for the lack of beds. What we do have is a very well-funded hospital system which, in almost every case, is providing excellent, high standard treatment to patients. Such occurrences were evidence of major problems, she said. The AMA commissioned a survey of 300 doctors on the state of the public health system.
Nurses are equally concerned.
A recent survey undertaken by the Australian Nurses Federation involving 2,300 registered nurses revealed that 99 percent were not satisfied with the government's handling of the health crisis and 90 percent indicated that staffing levels were not adequate. According to hospital staff, hospitals are frequently imposing ambulance bypasses because of insufficient staff. Booked admissions and elective surgery are cancelled regularly as well, with operating theatre personnel then used to cover staffing shortages in wards. Nursing shortages are also having a serious impact on patient care. In a recent report, Professor Mike Stacey, a vascular surgeon from Fremantle Hospital, stated that 25 percent of patients in public teaching hospitals had pressure ulcers, more than double the prediction rate.