THE Opposition is calling on the Health Minister to immediately act on the increasingly dangerous situation at Redland Hospital.

The Opposition joins the AMAQ in raising the alarm on behalf of the hospital’s doctors and nurses, who say patients’ lives are being put at risk due to the Palaszczuk Government’s mismanagement of the health system.

Frontline health workers say they are too frightened to speak out because they fear retribution.

Alarmingly, they also say the Palaszczuk Government is refusing to listen to their concerns, risking patient safety.

The situation at the Redland Hospital has deteriorated to crisis levels under the Health Minister’s watch:
• The hospital has the worst ambulance ramping in the state, at 66 per cent
• Promised expansions to the hospital have been delayed by years
• It remains the only major hospital in south-east Queensland without an intensive care unit

Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli said it should come as no surprise that hospital staff had taken this action.

“Doctors and nurses are speaking out because the Health Minister refuses to listen,” Mr Crisafulli said.

“After nearly eight years of the Palaszczuk Government, they are saying enough is enough.

“The Premier’s failure to plan is having dire consequences at the Redland Hospital and hospitals across the state.

“We’ve been putting our solutions on the table, including real-time data for our EDs, investing in more beds, streamlining triaging and putting our doctors and nurses back in charge.

“It’s time to take real action to heal the Queensland Health Crisis.”

Shadow Health Minister Ros Bates said Redland Hospital was the latest domino to fall under the watch of the Health Minister and Premier.

“The people of Redlands and Queenslanders everywhere are paying a very high price due to the Palaszczuk Government’s appalling mismanagement of the health system,” Ms Bates said.

“The ramping at Redland Hospital is the worst in the state, the promised hospital expansion is delayed by years and doctors and nurses are scared to speak up due to a culture of fear.

“All of this has happened under eight years of the Palaszczuk Government, who cannot be trusted to heal the health crisis they created.”

Member for Oodgeroo Mark Robinson said his community was paying the price from this tired, third-term government.

“Every day I hear stories from locals who waited too long for an ambulance or for their surgery,” he said.

“All we get from the Palaszczuk Government is excuses as to why the expansion at Redland Hospital is being delayed and why they haven’t added a single bed.

“This mismanagement is putting lives at risk in my community.

“I’ll continue to fight for the people of the Redlands until they have a hospital they can rely on.

“Queenslanders deserve so much better.”