The ACT languishes among the worst jurisdictions for emergency department wait times in the nation, according to the Productivity Commission’s latest report on government services for health.

The ACT performed the worst of all jurisdictions on measures of patients’ length of time in ED, with only 47.9 per cent of patients staying for four hours or less, compared to a national average 55.8 per cent.

Opposition health spokesperson Leanne Castley said: “Every year the Labor-Greens government has managed the health system, it has performed worse than the national average.

“This is embarrassing but, more importantly, it has a real impact on Canberrans’ health outcomes.

“This year Canberrans will be subjected to more propaganda from the government about everything it is doing in health but Canberrans know their public health system is failing them.”

The ACT was also the worst jurisdiction for treating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people within recommended wait times – coming in at 50 per cent compared to NSW at 74 per cent and a national average of 67 per cent.

The ACT was by far the worst jurisdiction for the percentage of Aboriginal and indigenous patients spending four hours or less in ED.