The latest data released by Queensland Health shows emergency departments and many major metropolitan and regional hospitals are bursting at the seams.
During August 27 per cent of patients weren’t seen within clinically recommended timeframes – that is 49,769 patients across hospitals in Queensland in just one month.
LNP Leader Deb Frecklington said the shocking statistics were further evidence patient care under Annastacia Palaszczuk was going backwards.
“It’s hard to believe that Labor have slashed the hospital building budget by $203 million this year and wasted hundreds of millions on failed IT projects and changing hospital names,” Ms Frecklington said.
“Unlike Labor, the LNP have listened to doctors and nurses on the frontline and will re-focus our public health system on patient care and ensure better health services for Queenslanders.
“The LNP will take pressure off the system by partnering with the private sector to slash waiting lists to free up room in emergency departments.”
LNP Shadow Health Minister Ros Bates said the health system had lurched from crisis to crisis under the Palaszczuk Labor Government.
“Emergency departments are overcrowded, ambulance ramping has skyrocketed and surgery wait times are blowing out,” Ms Bates said.
“As a nurse, I feel for our hard-working nurses, doctors, midwives and paramedics who are struggling to cope.
“Annastacia Palaszczuk’s priorities are all wrong – she would rather change a hospital name than fix her health crisis.”
Regional breakdown (for August 2019):
- Cairns Hospital – 1534 patients not seen by doctor or nurse on time (23% of ED patients)
- Toowoomba Hospital – 1440 patients not seen by doctor or nurse on time (28% of ED patients)
- Gold Coast University Hospital – 4271 patients not seen by doctor or nurse on time (43% of ED patients)
- Robina Hospital – 1959 patients not seen by doctor or nurse on time (36% of ED patients)
- Mackay Hospital – 1274 patients not seen by doctor or nurse on time (28% of ED patients)
- Caboolture Hospital – 1758 patients not seen by doctor or nurse on time (37% of ED patients)
- Redcliffe Hospital – 2145 patients not seen by doctor or nurse on time (37% of ED patients)
- RBWH – 1608 patients not seen by doctor or nurse on time (22% of ED patients)
- Prince Charles Hospital – 3294 patients not seen by doctor or nurse on time (36% of ED patients)
- PA Hospital – 1506 patients not seen by doctor or nurse on time (27% of ED patients)
- QEII Hospital – 1471 patients not seen by doctor or nurse on time (28% of ED patients)
- Redland Hospital – 1501 patients not seen by doctor or nurse on time (30% of ED patients)
- Nambour Hospital – 1152 patients not seen by doctor or nurse on time (25% of ED patients)
- Gympie Hospital – 1118 patients not seen by doctor or nurse on time (39% of ED patients)
- Ipswich Hospital – 2755 patients not seen by doctor or nurse on time (43% of ED patients)
- Bundaberg Hospital – 1502 patients not seen by doctor or nurse on time (33% of ED patients)
- Hervey Bay Hospital – 1031 patients not seen by doctor or nurse on time (28% of ED patients)
- Maryborough Hospital – 512 patients not seen by doctor or nurse on time (28% of ED patients)
- Sunshine Coast University Hospital – 2309 patients not seen by doctor or nurse on time (34% of ED patients)