RECORD numbers of people are flooding into emergency departments across the Central West, the latest NSW hospital data shows.
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All but one of the region's EDs recorded a significant increase influx in the number of people presenting for treatment.
There were 36,250 presentations between October and December 2018 which was a four per cent jump (1420 people) when compared to the same period in 2017, the Bureau of Health Information (BHI) quarterly report shows.
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Dubbo recorded just a two per cent increase (8591 patients to 8755), while there was no increase in Bathurst with 6786 patients seen in the ED during the most recent reporting period.
The region's largest hospital's - Bathurst, Dubbo and Orange - saw a significant increase in presentations during the October to December quarter last year compared to figures from 2010.
During this quarter in 2010, 20,596 patients presented to EDs in these three hospitals, this has since jumped by 13 per cent (2763 people) to 23,359.
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The region's largest hospital's - Bathurst, Dubbo and Orange - saw a significant increase in presentations during the October to December quarter last year compared to figures from 2010.
During this quarter in 2010, 20,596 patients presented to EDs in these three hospitals, this has since jumped by 13 per cent (2763 people) to 23,359.
EDs in Lithgow and Forbes hospitals recorded the biggest spike in patient numbers to the ED, with each department recording a 12 per cent increase.
In Lithgow there were 3449 presentations during the quarter which was a jump on the 3070 patients seen in the 2017 quarter.
While in Forbes the numbers spiked from 1832 to 2043 when comparing the two quarters.
An eight per cent increase in patients was recorded in Mudgee's ED, with numbers jumping from 2944 to 3182.
Cowra's ED numbers increased by six per cent (1867 to 1972), while there was a three per cent jump in Orange and Young's ED departments - 7568 to 7818 and 2182 to 2245 respectively.
Western NSW Local Health district chief executive Scott McLachlan said the region's public hospitals continued to improve in several key areas including in the ED.
"There were 48,268 presentations to WNSWLHD emergency departments, which was an increase of 1.3 per cent, from 47,657," he said.
- Note: Parkes Hospital emergency department data was not included in the BHI report.
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