A man found unconscious in a toilet at Waikato Hospital’s emergency department died despite resuscitation attempts, prompting an internal review as concerns about overcrowding and delays in the facility were raised by patients and family members.

The patient arrived at the Hamilton hospital’s emergency department (ED) on Monday night and was initially triaged. However, he was later discovered unconscious in a bathroom near the waiting area between 1:30 a.m. and 2:00 a.m. A nurse responding to the alert initiated emergency procedures, and around 20 hospital staff rushed to the scene to provide resuscitation efforts. Despite their efforts, the man did not survive.

Witnesses in the waiting room, including Samantha Browne and her mother, Deanne, described chaotic scenes as the emergency team transported the man through a crowded waiting area. Browne, who had been at the ED since about 4:30 p.m. with abdominal pain, said the waiting room was full, with nearly every seat taken, and a line extending outside the building. She noted long wait times, with one person reporting a 14-hour wait and another recounting six hours after an earlier visit to a private hospital.

Both Browne and her mother described the environment as stressful for patients and staff alike. Nurses appeared overwhelmed and patients in the waiting room grew agitated. When the patient was found unconscious, staff moved other patients aside and used privacy screens while performing CPR and other emergency interventions. Browne said the resuscitation team, including a nurse performing CPR, was visibly pressed for resources and time.

Browne recounted waiting approximately four hours before receiving any pain relief and being treated only six hours after arrival. She and her mother left the hospital around 4 a.m. Browne also shared that earlier in the month, she had two other visits to the same ED, with waits of nine and 13 hours. Following Monday’s incident, a nurse distributed feedback forms to encourage patients to document their experiences in the hope of prompting improvements.

Health New Zealand (Health NZ) confirmed it has launched a rapid clinical review into the incident, expected to be completed this week, with a longer review planned over the next two months. The agency declined to comment on specific details out of respect for the patient’s family and pending the review’s findings.

Cath Cronin, Executive Regional Director for Midland at Health NZ, acknowledged that current wait times often exceed the six-hour target for ED stays and that the Waikato ED has recently operated at or above capacity. She did not specify whether staffing shortages contributed to the situation but affirmed that daily staffing levels are regularly evaluated to maintain safety.

“This man was waiting longer than we wanted him to be waiting, but I’m not going to quote the exact time, because I think that needs to also be part of the clinical review,” Cronin said, emphasizing the need for a thorough examination of facts amid ongoing public concern.