How do lower urgency ED presentations vary by geographic areas?

This report describes results based on where people live, not the location of the ED. People can go to an ED outside their area.

Findings confirm that people living in regional PHN areas continue to have a higher rate of lower urgency ED presentations (164 presentations per 1,000 people in 2018−19) than their metropolitan counterparts (90 per 1,000 people).

There was considerable variation across the country each year. Between 2015−16 and 2018−19, Western NSW PHN area consistently had the highest presentation rate, while Darling Downs and West Moreton PHN area had the lowest rate. In 2018−19, Western NSW had 333 presentations per 1,000 people, compared with 53 per 1,000 people in Darling Downs and West Moreton.

The proportion of lower urgency ED presentations that occurred during the in-hours period varied across the country, ranging from 47% in Western Sydney PHN area, to 60% in Western Queensland PHN area. Only three PHN areas had a higher proportion of after-hours presentations than in-hours—Western Sydney (53%), Northern Sydney (52%) and South Western Sydney (52%).

Use the interactive data visualisations to explore variation in presentation rates across small geographic areas (PHNs and Statistical Area Level 3—SA3s) between 2015−16 and 2018−19. Refer to the Technical note for further details about the geographical areas and groupings included in this report.
 

Tableau 1: Lower urgency ED presentations per 1,000 people, by PHN area, demographic group, and time of presentation, 2015–16 to 2018–19

This horizontal bar chart dynamically shows how the number of lower urgency ED presentations per 1,000 people varies across PHN areas. Results are presented by year (2015–16 to 2018–19), time period (all-hours, in-hours and after-hours), and demographic group (sex and age). Refer to ‘PHN – Lower urgency’ in the data tables.

Tableau 2: PHN profile - Lower urgency ED presentations

This dynamic dashboard presents an overview of lower urgency ED presentations per PHN area. It presents how use has changed between 2015–16 and 2018–19, and how use has varied across age groups, between time periods (all-hours, in-hours and after-hours), and between the local SA3 areas within each PHN area. Refer to ‘PHN – Lower urgency’ and ‘SA3 – Lower urgency’ in the data tables.

Tableau 3: Lower urgency ED presentations per 1,000 people, by SA3, demographic group, and time of presentation, 2015–16 to 2018–19

This dynamic bubble chart shows the number of lower urgency ED presentations per 1,000 people, by SA3. The SA3s have been assigned into six groups: Major cities - Higher socioeconomic, Major cities - Medium socioeconomic, Major cities - Lower socioeconomic, Inner regional, Outer regional and Remote. Results are presented by year (2015–16 to 2018–19), time period (all-hours, in-hours and after-hours), and demographic group (sex and age). Refer to ‘SA3 – Lower urgency’ in the data tables.

For more information about EDs, including the most common patient diagnoses and ED presentations by state and territory, Local Hospital Networks, and hospitals, see MyHospitals: Emergency department care.