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Record emergency department demand this week is exposing a national pattern, and Asthma Australia says it’s a stark reminder of the gap between reactive hospital care and the preventive support that keeps people with chronic respiratory conditions out of hospital in the first place.
On Monday, NSW recorded its busiest winter day in history, with close to 10,000 people presenting to emergency departments across the state. In Western Australia, ambulance ramping has surged to its highest level this year, with ambulances spending nearly 6,000 hours stuck outside hospitals in July alone.
Asthma Australia acknowledges that emergency departments must remain reserved for genuine emergencies, including the serious breathing difficulties that many people with asthma experience during flare-ups. But the organisation says record emergency department demand also reflects a health system that continues to under-invest in preventing avoidable presentations before they happen.
Nearly 2.8 million Australians live with asthma and asthma-related hospitalisations remain largely preventable. In 2023–24, asthma was the primary cause of around 32,000 hospitalisations nationally, with up to 90 per cent of these estimated to be potentially avoidable with better asthma management in the community.
Professor John Blakey, Respiratory Specialist and Asthma Australia’s Medical Advisor, said winter pressure on hospitals should prompt a renewed focus on keeping people well at home, not just managing them once they arrive at the ED.
“Every winter we see the same pattern, emergency departments pushed to breaking point. However, many of these conditions don’t need to end in a hospital visit if people are getting the right support,” Professor Blakey said.
“Asthma is the best example of this issue. The overwhelming majority of emergency attendances are preventable with appropriate treatment and planning before a crisis hits. That’s not something that happens by chance; it requires a clear and accessible system of ongoing education and support from appropriately trained healthcare professionals. Unfortunately, it is exactly what’s missing for too many Australians right now.”
“If we want a different outcome next winter and the winter after, we need to invest in keeping people out of hospital in a co-ordinated systematic way as other countries have done.”
Asthma Australia is calling on the State and Federal Governments to strengthen investment in community-based asthma education and self-management support, and multidisciplinary severe asthma centres, to relieve pressure on emergency departments during peak respiratory illness periods and reduce preventable hospitalisations over the longer term.
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For more information
Contact: Professor John Blakey, Medical Director Asthma Australia
0494 660 484
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Asthma Australia is the nation’s peak body representing nearly 2.8 million Australians living with asthma. Our work is grounded in evidence and informed by the lived experience of people with asthma. Our programs reflect a commitment to outcomes-focused, equity-driven reform, integrating community insight and clinical expertise to strengthen person centred asthma care.
