MENTALLY ill patients are regularly waiting more than eight hours to be admitted to Bendigo Hospital.
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Figures released by the state opposition today show 39 people waited in the emergency room for more than eight hours between April and June, giving it a ranking of the eighth-worst hospital waiting period in the state.
State-wide figures show a 30 per cent increase in people with mental health issues waiting longer than eight hours for admission.
Shadow parliamentary secretary for mental health Wade Noonan said the figures were concerning.
“We know that one in three mentally ill patients are waiting more than eight hours in emergency departments before being admitted to a bed and the situation is getting worse,” he said.
“Leaving mentally ill patients languishing in emergency departments is simply not good enough.”
For more on the statistics see tomorrow's Bendigo Advertiser.