THE State Government must explain why ambulance ramping rates have climbed to new records highs while fewer people are presenting to our hospital’s emergency departments, over the past 12 months.
New health figures have revealed the State Government’s record-high ambulance ramping rate of 45% occurred in the quarter to June 12 months ago, ambulance ramping was 41%.
Fewer people are presenting to emergency departments but ambulance ramping figures are worsening.
The new figures have exposed serious flaws in the health system and a State Government running out of excuses.
Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli said after months blaming patient presentations as the cause for the Queensland Health Crisis, the State Government needed to start listening to the solutions for a crisis seven years in the making.
“These new numbers show fewer people turned up at emergency departments but more waited longer this year,” Mr Crisafulli said.
“There has been a 4% drop in the number of people turning up at emergency departments but yet ramping has increased by 4%.
“This goes against everything the Premier and Health Minister previously said about patient demand overwhelming the health system.
“The State Government blamed the former Federal Government, patients and covid for the high demand, but these new health figures have revealed a different story.
“Ambulance ramping is now at 45% across Queensland, the highest ever recorded.
“This Government inherited ramping at 15% in 2015, it had already doubled before COVID and now it’s tripled under their watch.
“Some Brisbane Hospitals are nudging towards 70%.
“Redland Hospital has the worst ambulance ramping in Queensland with an increase of 6% to 68%, followed by Logan Hospital and the PA Hospital.
| Hospital | March quarter ramping | June quarter ramping | Change |
| Redland | 62% | 68% | +6% |
| Logan | 62% | 65% | +3% |
| PA | 67% | 62% | -5% |
| Mater Adult Public | 57% | 61% | +4% |
| QEII | 55% | 59% | +4% |
| Ipswich | 55% | 58% | +3% |
| Redcliffe | 50% | 54% | +4% |
| RBWH | 48% | 53% | +5% |
| Caboolture | 42% | 50% | +8% |
| Prince Charles | 48% | 48% | 0% |
| Lady Cilento | 18% | 21% | +3% |
| Queensland | 42% | 45% | +3% |
“The LNP has put solutions on the table including more resources, improved triaging, real time data monitoring and allowing front line clinicians the power to effectively run their hospitals, using local expertise and decision making.
“This third term Labor Government has given up on listening.
“During a health crisis the State Government wasted more than $220 million on Wellcamp, and there are severe staff shortages in regional Queensland.
“The State Government isn’t planning to deliver any new hospitals for at least 7 years. Queenslanders need solutions now.”
Shadow Health Minister and registered nurse Ros Bates said all Queenslanders deserve a world class health system no matter where they live.
“These new numbers prove the Palaszczuk Government cannot be trusted to heal the health crisis.
“Not only is ambulance ramping getting worse but they have been misleading Queenslanders about the real reasons why.”
“As a former hospital administrator, I know how stressful it is for our doctors, nurses, paramedics and allied health professionals buckling under a system suffering from 7 years of mismanagement,” Ms Bates said.
“My frontline colleagues deserve more resources and respect.
“Patient care should always be the top priority.
“The embattled Health Minister is absolutely clueless when it comes to fixing the Queensland Health Crisis.”