All information in this publication refers to persons aged 45 years and over who had at least one general practitioner (GP) visit in the 12 months between November 2014 and November 2015.
Hospital emergency departments (EDs) provide medical care and treatment for patients who may have an urgent need for care. Respondents were asked about the frequency of their visits to an ED in the last 12 months, as well as their reason for, and experience of, their most recent ED visit.
One in six people (18%) reported having been to an ED for their own health in the last 12 months. People aged 65 years and over were more likely to report having been to an ED in the last 12 months than those aged 45 to 64 years (22% compared with 16%).
FREQUENCY AND MAIN REASONS FOR RECENT ED VISITS
Of people who had been to an ED in the last 12 months, nearly two thirds (64%) indicated they had been once and nearly one third (32%) had been at least twice. Of those who had visited an ED in the last 12 months, 42% indicated that the main reason for their most recent visit was due to their condition being serious or life threatening, 26% indicated that they were told to visit the ED by a doctor or nurse and 12% indicated that a GP was not available when required. Less than 1% of people indicated that the cost of going to the doctor or other health professional was the main reason for their most recent ED visit.
Footnote(s): (a) For persons aged 45 years and over who had at least one GP visit in the 12 months between November 2014 and November 2015 (b) Condition was serious or life threatening (c) Told to visit emergency department by doctor or nurse (d) Waiting time to see a doctor or other health professional was too long (e) GP not available when required (f) Cost of going to the doctor or other health professional
Source(s): Survey of Health Care: Summary of Findings
One in five people (20%) who went to the ED in the last 12 months indicated that for their most recent ED visit, they thought the care could have been provided by a GP. This was more common for those aged 45 to 64 years than those aged 65 years and over (24% compared with 17%). A further 7% of people who went to the ED in the last 12 months did not know whether the care could have been provided by a GP.
People who had attended an ED in the last 12 months were asked whether their usual GP or others in their usual place of care seemed informed of follow up needs or medication changes after their most recent visit to the ED:
62% stated that their usual GP or others in their usual place of care seemed informed
12% stated that their usual GP or others in their usual place of care did not seem informed
7% stated that their usual GP or others in their usual place of care did not know about follow-up needs or medication changes until the patient informed them
8% did not know if their GP seemed informed
6% did not have follow-up needs or medication changes and
3% did not go to their usual GP or usual place of care after their most recent ED visit (or had not yet gone to their usual GP or usual place of care after their most recent ED visit).
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