Numbers climb in NSW emergency departments

Emergency departments in public hospitals across NSW are facing a staggering influx of patients.

The latest quarterly report from the Bureau of Health Information, revealed nearly 650,000 patients attended emergency departments between July and September.

That's an average of 1600 more patients each week compared to the same period last year.

Dr Jean-Frederic Levesque says there has also been an increase in the time patients wait for non-urgent surgery.

"This quarter, half of patients waited 32 weeks or more for non-urgent surgery, which is five days longer than the same time last year," Dr Levesque said.

"In these busy emergency departments, there were an additional 5000 patients needing treatment in the emergency category and an additional 12,000 patients needing treatment in the urgent category, compared to the same time last year."

Hospital admissions climbed to a record high, with nearly 475,000 patients admitted in the quarter.

UNDER STRAIN: NSW HOSPITAL VISITS, JUNE-SEPTEMBER 2015

* Almost 650,000 patients attended the emergency department

* 1600 more emergency dept visits each week compared to the same quarter in 2014

* 475,000 hospital admissions, a record high

* One minute additional wait time for emergency treatment

* Average time spent in emergency department three minutes higher at two hours, 52 minutes

* Half of patients waited 32 weeks or more for non-urgent-surgery, five days longer than 2014.

(SOURCE: HOSPITAL QUARTERLY, THE BUREAU OF HEALTH INFORMATION NSW)