The latest figures released as part of the 2026 Report on Government Services show that 68 per cent of urgent category 2 emergency patients were seen within the recommended 10 minutes, down from 77 per cent a decade ago. Across all triage categories, just 67 per cent of patients were seen within clinically recommended timeframes, compared with 74 per cent in 2015–16.
The data also confirms that people are spending far longer in EDs than previously, with 30 per cent of patients requiring hospital admission leaving the ED within four hours, down from 49 per cent ten years earlier. Overall, 53.4 per cent of patients completed their ED stay within four hours, the lowest level recorded in nearly a decade.
This is consistent with data published by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, which showed that hospital bed block is escalating. According to the data, 1 in 10 people spent more than 11 hours in the ED in 2024-25, up from seven hours in 2014-15.
Alongside this ED demand continues to rise, with almost 286,000 additional annual presentations to public EDs over the past five years, the equivalent of more than 780 extra patients each day. Meanwhile, workforce growth has not kept pace with system pressures.
ACEM President Dr Peter Allely said the data paints a clear picture of a system under sustained strain.
“Emergency departments are a critical safety net for the community, but these figures show that pressure on the system is intensifying,” Dr Allely said. “When fewer patients are seen on time and more people are waiting in EDs for hospital beds, it signals broader issues with patient flow across the health system.”
"Long waits in emergency departments are deeply frustrating for patients,” Dr Allely said. “For emergency doctors, wait times are first and foremost about patient safety. Evidence shows that the longer a patient remains in an ED, the greater the risk of harm."
Dr Allely said emergency clinicians were working hard to deliver safe care in increasingly difficult conditions.
“Patient demand is rising faster than the health system’s ability to respond. We need coordinated investment to improve patient access and flow through hospitals, alongside sustained workforce growth and support,” Dr Allely said. “Without this, emergency departments will continue to carry pressure that should be shared across the whole health system.”
Dr Allely said external pressures are also adding to ED demand. He said delays in aged care assessments and home care access, as well as barriers to primary and mental health care, are inflating the number of people who have little option but to seek care in EDs.
“Emergency departments cannot be viewed in isolation,” Dr Allely said. “When people can’t access care in the community — whether aged care, primary care or mental health support — they often end up in hospital. Strengthening other parts of the health system is essential to relieving pressure at the front door.”
Dr Allely said decision-makers should see the Productivity Commission report as a wake-up call.
“These trends have been building for years. Addressing them requires long-term planning and sustained investment,” Dr Allely said. “Emergency clinicians will continue to work with governments to build a health system that delivers timely, safe care for every patient.”
ENDS
Background:
ACEM is the peak body for emergency medicine in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, responsible for training emergency physicians and the advancement of professional standards.
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