According to reports from the Bureau of Health Information, more patients are enduring long waits in the $187million facility than they did in the final months of the Bega District Hospital.

From January to March 2016, 19 per cent of patients waited over four hours in the district hospital’s emergency department.

But in the first months SERH was open, from April to June that year, the number had risen to 24.2 per cent.

From July to September, it jumped again to 30.9. 

While 3717 patients attended the Bega Hospital’s emergency department in the early months of 2016, there was an increase over the time SERH was open to 4187 patients by July to September. 

Also, from July to September 95 per cent of patients considered triage 2, such as those experiencing chest pain or severe burns, started treatment within 36 minutes. 

This is compared to 95 per cent of patients in triage 4, including sprained ankles and earaches, who started treatment in 3.5 hours.