The waiting times at the public hospitals here in NZ are horrendous. This winter season has been particulary bad with many infants having respiratory illnesses and the hospitals themselves saying they are understaffed to provide basic care.
Have you had to go to the Emergency department this year and what delays did you experience?
I have Heart disease and was experiencing chest pains, these were a similar pain to pain I experienced before my stents were put in. I couldn't get a Dr appointment for 3 weeks so had my son drive me to the ED at hospital.
When I got to the hospital it was crowded, there was no sitting room and sick people were lying in beds in the corridor waiting to be seen. I waited 12 hours and was told that there were more people ahead of me. I made the decision to leave as my chest pains had subsided and the waiting was stressing me out.
Have you or a family member left because of the waiting?