Explosive figures reveal for the first time the sick state of elective surgery waitlists on the Sunshine Coast.

Elective surgery patients on the Sunshine Coast now have to wait longer than anywhere in the state for their procedures at Nambour Hospital, Sunshine Coast University Hospital and Gympie Hospital

More than 1 in 3 elective surgery patients don’t get their surgery on time at SCUH and Nambour, while nearly a quarter will wait longer than they should in Gympie.

The figures also show:
• Ambulance ramping remains at crisis levels with almost 1 in 2 patients left waiting on ramps, in hallways or along corridors.
• Nearly a third of patients at emergency departments on the Sunshine Coast are not seen within the clinically recommended timeframe.
• More than 30% of patients on the elective surgery waiting list are also not being seen on time.
Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli said the staggering figures proved Queensland Health was in crisis.

“These shocking figures show the extent of the Queensland Health Crisis right across the state,” he said.

“The Sunshine Coast is Queensland’s elective surgery ground zero. The three worst performing hospitals in the state are right here.

“If you’re in need of a knee replacement, or are waiting to get your cataracts fixed, there’s a high chance you’ll be waiting longer than the clinically recommended time.

“That means people are waiting in pain longer than they should. It’s simply not good enough.

“Meanwhile across Queensland, more than 1 in 3 patients are routinely stuck in ambulances outside hospitals, almost 250,000 Queenslanders are on the waiting list for the waiting list and a quarter of patients in emergency departments aren’t seen on time.

“It shows the State Government and the Health Minister aren’t listening to staff and patients on how to fix the Queensland Health crisis.

“Queenslanders deserve so much better than this.”

Shadow Health Minister and registered nurse Ros Bates said Queenslanders are dying in the arms of loved ones while waiting for an ambulance.

“For the Health Minister to say it is acceptable for Queenslanders to be waiting hours for an ambulance to turn up just shows how far she is out of her depth,” she said.

“Paramedics are crying out for help and have had to come up with their own solutions to try and put band aids on a system crumbling before our eyes.

“Meanwhile, thousands of patients on the Sunshine Coast can’t even get in the door to see a specialist.

“This is heaping more pressure on our health system and hardworking health workers who are straining under skyrocketing ambulance ramping and overcrowding in emergency departments.

“They’ve had enough of this Minister ignoring them, she must listen and she must act.”

Mr Crisafulli said our dedicated doctors, nurses and paramedics are heroes holding our hospitals together during the Queensland Health Crisis.

“The frontline staff want to take control back from Queensland Health, they want better resources, they want data shared in real time, they want to drive cultural change so that an ambulance doesn’t have to wait at the end of a ramp,” he said.

“These are just some of the solutions the LNP has put forward to heal the Queensland Health Crisis.

“Rather than making excuses, the Premier must finally start listening and start finding solutions.”