Sydney's busiest hospitals revealed: Emergency department attendances soar

New public health data has revealed the busiest hospitals in Sydney, with several facilities in the city's south-west and north recording high attendance numbers at their emergency departments.

The latest Healthcare Quarterly data, covering April to June 2026, shows that demand across the state's hospitals remained high, with the median time from arrival to leaving the emergency department for all NSW patients being 3 hours and 49 minutes, up 5 minutes compared with the same quarter a year earlier.

Sydney's busiest emergency departments

Royal North Shore Hospital had 22,805 attendances, Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital had 13,153 attendances, and Ryde Hospital recorded 6,954 attendances. In the south-west, Liverpool Hospital had the greatest attendances at 23,773, followed closely by Campbelltown Hospital at 23,664.

Northern Beaches Hospital, which transitioned into the public system from April 29, recorded 16,009 attendances, although results prior to this date cover publicly contracted services only. Other busy Sydney hospitals included St George Hospital at 21,038 attendances and Royal Prince Alfred Hospital at 20,832.

Treatment times at Sydney hospitals

The data showed that 77.5 per cent of patients started treatment on time at Liverpool Hospital, a 7.8 per cent increase compared to the previous year's reporting period. Campbelltown Hospital saw one of the biggest improvements, from 53.8 per cent between April to June 2025, to 68.2 per cent in this year's period.

Health Minister Ryan Park said there was "still a lot to do in our emergency departments". When asked about one caller's experience of waiting 20 hours at Westmead Hospital, Mr Park said it was "not good enough".

"But one of the challenges is … there has been a massive increase and nearly doubling of the patients that are categorised two and three," Mr Park said. "They're the sickest patients in the system. They need to spend more time in an emergency department."

Episodes of mental health care at Sydney hospitals

Royal Prince Alfred Hospital saw a high number of mental health care cases, with 690 episodes. Other hospitals with high rates included Concord Hospital at 529, Campbelltown Hospital at 532, Liverpool Hospital at 382, and Nepean Hospital at 345.

Elective surgeries at Sydney hospitals

Across NSW, 85.6 per cent of elective surgeries were performed on time, not including the Hunter New England Local Health District. However, 697 NSW patients on the waiting list had waited longer than clinically recommended.

Prince of Wales Hospital recorded 71 patients waiting longer than recommended, and St George Hospital had 49. Mr Park said the system was under pressure from 1,300 beds being taken up every day from people who were medically fine but waiting on NDIS or aged care spaces.

"That's the equivalent of two Sydney hospitals not to be used," he said.