Fewer than half of Northern NSW emergency patients needing admission or transfer met a six-hour hospital access target in 2025–26, according to a health district review released yesterday.
The review also shows missed targets for mental-health emergency stays and patient experience across the district, which includes hospitals in Byron, Ballina, Lismore and Tweed.
Released at Northern NSW Local Health District’s annual public meeting on Wednesday, November 4, the report records a six-hour admission or transfer result of 41.9 per cent, against an 80 per cent target.
For mental-health or self-harm presentations, 81.1 per cent of emergency stays were no longer than 12 hours, below the 95 per cent target.
Mental-health consumers rating their experience very good or excellent accounted for 61 per cent, against an 80 per cent target.
The report identifies improvement work including ‘maximising referrals from EDs to Hospital in the Home’, alongside direct ward admissions and changes at Lismore Base Hospital.
The results come amid wider pressure on available beds.
NSW Government figures released earlier this year showed 63 Northern NSW patients were medically ready to leave hospital on June 30 but waiting for aged-care or NDIS support.
‘Waiting indefinitely in a hospital is not good for patient mobility, recovery or quality of life,’ Health Minister Ryan Park said at the time.
The review nevertheless records some targets being met, including 80.2 per cent of emergency patients being discharged within four hours, against an 80 per cent target.
That discharge measure covers a different patient group from those requiring admission or transfer.
The results are district-wide and do not establish individual hospitals’ performance.
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