WA Country Health Service (WACHS) has conceded that Albany hospital has experienced "bed pressures" in recent months as the Australian Medical Association (AMA) takes aim at its management.
A spokeswoman for WACHS, which operates the hospital, said staff levels were appropriate over the past year and that the facility had not officially reached capacity at any point.
"While Albany Health Campus has experienced some bed pressures over the last 12 months, staff at the facility regularly monitor activity to ensure staff levels and patient flow are optimised," she said in a statement.
The spokeswoman said the hospital "consistently performs well across Western Australian Emergency Access Times (WEAT) when compared to [similar] hospitals".
More staff needed, AMA says
AMA WA president Andrew Miller said the WEAT system pitted hospitals against each other.
"Whenever they talk about bed pressures it means, 'We don't have enough staff','" he said.
"They're requiring more staff, which leads to stress and burnout and good, long-term people leaving the system."
Mr Miller said the reliance of WACHS on WEAT scores did not paint the whole picture of a system under stress.
"This is bureaucratic double-speak," he said.
"People are waiting too long [in emergency]."
Mr Miller said stress on regional hospitals was caused by cutting into essential services in recent state budgets.
Minister defends hospital
WA Health Minister Roger Cook accused the AMA of attacking regional health staff.
"Yet again the AMA is smearing the staff of regional hospitals in WA," he said.
"They are trying to undermine morale at Albany Health Campus.
"Our nurses, doctors and hospital staff deliver excellent service to the people of the Great Southern every day.
