Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg has welcomed the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s latest report confirming Queensland had the best elective surgery wait-times in Australia during 2014/15 and says the independent analysis represents a “report card” on the LNP’s last year in office.
Mr Springborg, who was Health Minister in the previous LNP government, said people found it hard to imagine that the basket case that was Queensland Health could be turned around from being a national embarrassment to a national model in just over three years.
“I thank health staff across Queensland who took advantage of the LNP’s policy and management framework that put the patient at the centre of all decisions; and empowered our clinical workforce and local Hospital and Health boards,” he said.
“Queensland had the best waiting time for elective surgery in Australia when the LNP Government was in office.
“That is a stunning turn-around from a health system that was defined under Labor as having a secret waiting-list, unpaid doctors and nurses, a fake Tahitian prince, and the infamous payroll debacle.
“In March 2012 there were 6,485 people waiting longer than clinically recommended, but when we left office it was 73.
“The LNP made huge inroads in Queensland Health and brought it back from the basket case it was under the Bligh Labor Government to a functional and well-performing frontline service.
“I want to thank the hardworking doctors, nurses and staff for the work they did under the LNP to turn Queensland’s health system around.”
Mr Springborg said it was now up to Labor to do the right thing by Queenslanders and keep the LNP’s ‘Surgery Wait Time Guarantee’.
“The Palaszczuk Labor Government’s decision to unwind the surgery guarantee is just another example of Labor holding Queensland back. Queenslanders deserve better.
“This initiative underlined the LNP’s commitment to put patients and health staff first, rather than allowing Brisbane bureaucrats and union bosses to take charge.”