I really do feel for the overworked staff at the Tauranga Hospital's emergency department, but there really is one obvious solution.
A solution which I am sure many of those contributing to the overcrowding would endorse.
Lower the costs charged by accident and emergency clinics or better still cut the cost altogether, and make them more accessible particularly to those with minor accidents.
This should allow the hospital's emergency department to treat the more serious cases.
A free visit to the hospital's emergency department is often the only option as many medical centres' charges are beyond the reach of a large part of our community.
Jean Davis, Tauranga.