Acute mental health patients waiting up to six days in hospital's ED

Sydney mental health patients waiting up to six days in Westmead Hospital emergency departmentTopic:Healthcare FacilitiesPosted Tue 10 Nov 2026 at 8:33amTue 10 Nov 2026 at 8:33am, updated Tue 10 Nov 2026 at 9:07amTue 10 Nov 2026 at 9:07amA Westmead doctor says acute mental health patients have been waiting almost a week at the hospital for treatment. (ABC News: Adam Griffiths)In short:A doctor says acute mental health patients have been waiting up to six days in Westmead Hospital's emergency department.They described the situation as unprecedented, immoral and potentially dangerous.The ABC has confirmed 12 patients with acute mental illness had been waiting for more than 48 hours as of Monday afternoon.Acute mental health patients have been waiting up to six days in the emergency department of a major Sydney hospital in a situation described by one doctor as unprecedented, immoral and potentially dangerous.The ABC has confirmed 12 patients with acute mental illness had been in the emergency department of Westmead Hospital in Sydney's west for more than 48 hours as of Monday afternoon.Seven of those patients had been in the hospital for more than 100 hours, with the longest stretch being more than 148 hours or more than six days.A Westmead doctor, who asked to remain anonymous to protect their employment, said each of the patients was experiencing psychotic illness and being held involuntarily.They said the patients were awaiting transfer to Cumberland Hospital, a dedicated mental health facility."One-hundred and fifty hours is something I have never, ever, ever seen or imagined," the doctor said."It's unconscionable how awful it is for those people, how awful it is for patients with unrelated medical issues around them and the potential danger to the staff."A Western Sydney Local Health District (WSLHD) spokesperson said the area was experiencing high demand for acute mental health care and apologised to people affected by extended wait times."Westmead Hospital's Emergency Department has a designated mental health area which allows for emergency care to be delivered by specialised mental health clinicians in a low-stimulation environment to best support mental health consumers and their needs," the spokesperson said."Consumers awaiting transfer to a mental health facility receive ongoing treatment in the emergency department, under the care of a psychiatrist."'It's immoral'Westmead is one of Sydney's largest hospitals. (ABC News: Adam Griffiths)The doctor likened sleeping and receiving treatment in the emergency department to being forced to stay in an airport."It's constantly lit, constantly busy, constantly noisy. You can't tell me it's a therapeutic or restful environment," they said."It's immoral … I cannot believe we call ourselves a first world country in this state."Rose Jackson said a new facility would make more beds available in Western Sydney. (ABC News: Marcus Stimson)Mental Health Minister Rose Jackson said extended wait times were "well below the experience I want for anyone accessing our mental health system"."While I can't comment on individual patients, any person remaining in an emergency department while awaiting transfer continues to receive care and clinical oversight," she said.Ms Jackson said construction of the new Westmead Centre for Mental Health was underway and would deliver a "substantial" increase in beds in the region.Westmead had the longest emergency department wait times of any hospital in the WSLHD in figures released in September.Just 49.1 per cent of patients received treatment on time, with an average wait time of 6.5 hours.Mental health professionals across NSW have been raising the alarm over conditions for workers and their patients more than 12 months.Public psychiatrists threatened to resign en masse last year over pay and conditions, with the state's Industrial Relations Commission later finding the specialist doctors deserved a pay bump.