Alarming new data has revealed the full extent of the Queensland Health Crisis in Cairns, with more than 15,000 locals stuck on the surgery ‘waiting-list-for-the-waiting-list.’
The Queensland Health statistics show the State Government has failed Cairns where 34% of patients not seen in the recommended time, the worst wait times for a major regional hospital in Queensland.
If you need to see a neurosurgeon in Cairns, it’s more than likely you’ll be forced to wait longer than clinically recommended.
77% of neurosurgery patients are not seen within the recommended time.
It follows a scathing report by the Auditor-General earlier this week which outlined the number of category two and category three patients seen within clinically recommended times is sliding to historical new lows.
Shadow Health Minister Ros Bates said Labor is losing control of the health system.
“These aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet, these are grandmothers with chronic hip pain or your father needing brain surgery. It includes someone waiting for a cancer screening or someone who needs to see a psychiatrist,” Ms Bates said.
“These thousands of Far North Queenslanders 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.
“The State Government isn’t properly planning for the future.
“All Queenslanders deserve a world class health system no matter where they live.
“If the embattled Health Minister can’t fix our hospitals, then she must go.
“As a nurse and former hospital administrator, I know how stressful it is for our exhausted frontline staff who aren’t getting the support they need.
“Our dedicated doctors, nurses and paramedics are heroes holding our hospital together during the Queensland Health crisis.
“The LNP has put solutions on the table including:
1) Data Transparency: Real-time data on available beds needs to be accessible to patients and health professionals to help them make the best decision for their situation.
2) Triaging Improvements: Providing better resourcing for triaging in emergency departments to ensure the service is fit for purpose.
3) Proper Resourcing: Investing in more beds instead of fudging the figures by counting chairs in the hospital bed tally.
4) Empowering Frontline Staff: Allowing front line clinicians the power to effectively run their hospitals, using local expertise and decision making.
| Specialist Outpatient Services – Regional Hospitals | ||||
| Hospital | Patients Waiting | All Categories and all Specialties % NOT seen in recommended Time | Worst Performing Specialty | Worst Specialty % NOT seen in recommended Time |
| Cairns | 15,319 | 34 | Neurosurgery | 77 |
| Townsville | 13,400 | 10 | Ophthalmology | 51 |
| Mackay | 7,802 | 24 | Ophthalmology | 66 |
| Rockhampton | 9,840 | 31 | Ophthalmology | 79 |
| Bundaberg | 3,416 | 8 | Gastroenterology | 80 |
| Maryborough | 1,074 | 14 | Nephrology | 65 |
| Hervey Bay | 3,260 | 11 | Gastroenterology | 75 |
| Gympie | 849 | 14 | Respiratory | 50 |
| SCUH | 15,680 | 24 | Rheumatology | 80 |
| Toowoomba | 8,831 | 7 | Urology | 56 |
| GCUH | 34,922 | 31 | Urology | 71 |
| Robina | 2,678 | 33 | Neurology | 90 |