newy.com.au – The number of patients unable to leave Hunter New England hospitals while they wait for aged care or disability placements has risen by 26 per cent to 174, according to the NSW government.
The latest tally, released on Wednesday, is 36 higher than at 30 June 2025. Health Minister Ryan Park said the delays were reducing the beds available for people who needed hospital care.
The figures cover Hunter New England Local Health District and include 26 patients at John Hunter Hospital, 20 at Maitland Hospital and 19 each at Calvary Mater Newcastle and Manning Base Hospital.
“These are people who are ready to leave hospital, but cannot because the appropriate support or placement simply is not there,” Maitland MP Jenny Aitchison said.
Across NSW, the number of patients waiting for Commonwealth aged care and National Disability Insurance Scheme placements rose from 1,065 at 30 June 2025 to 1,355 at 30 June 2026, an increase of 27.2 per cent, according to the government’s figures.
“Waiting indefinitely in a hospital is not good for patient mobility, recovery or quality of life. These people are more than statistics, and they deserve so much better,” Mr Park said.
The NSW government says it is working with the Commonwealth to expand services that help older people remain safely at home. These include short-term care from teams of health professionals through Aged Care Outreach Services, and virtual specialist geriatric care for people aged 65 and over.
The services aim to reduce avoidable hospital admissions and support earlier discharge where appropriate. The state’s Aged Care Response Package also includes $35.7 million to help older people experiencing discharge delays.
The government also reported improvements in emergency department performance across Hunter New England. The proportion of patients treated on time rose to 68.5 per cent in the April-to-June 2026 quarter, compared with 64.8 per cent in the same period a year earlier.
For triage category 2 patients, who have life-threatening conditions, the on-time treatment rate increased from 56.2 per cent to 64.4 per cent. That still left more than a third of patients in that category not being treated on time.
