SHOCKING new figures have exposed that thousands of Queenslanders are forced to spend more than 24 hours in Emergency Departments, waiting for critical surgery or admission to hospital.
The damning revelations are the latest picture into the decline of Queensland’s health system under Labor and the price Queenslanders are paying during the State’s chronic Health Crisis.
The data, exposed in a Question on Notice, shows 4,680 patients waited longer than 24 hours in Emergency Departments between July and October last year, simply to be transferred into hospital wards, or for critical surgery or tests.
It also reveals regional hospitals have left patients languishing the longest, with 255 patients spending more than 24 hours in Rockhampton Hospital ED in one month, 219 in Mackay Hospital ED, and 245 in Hervey Bay Hospital ED.
Shadow Health Minister Ros Bates said these numbers were another example of how Queenslanders were paying the price of Labor’s chaos and crisis.
“When thousands of Queenslanders are left languishing in Emergency Departments for more than 24 hours, it’s clear our health system is in chaos and crisis under Labor,” Ms Bates said.
“These delays are a direct result of a government that’s failed to plan, resource and run Queensland Health adequately for nine years.
“After nine years of this Labor Government, how much longer will Queenslanders have to wait for the health system to be fixed?
“As a nurse and former hospital administrator, I know how frustrating and potentially dangerous it is for patients to be spending this long in an Emergency Department.
“There is clinical evidence which suggests extended periods spent in the ED can lead to negative or adverse health outcomes.
“This is simply not good enough for a modern Queensland, and it’s not the fault of our hardworking health staff, it falls at the feet of this Labor Government.
“A reliable health system is a priority for Queenslanders, but Labor has the wrong priorities.
“Only the LNP has the Right Priorities for Queensland’s Future, including easier access to health services.
“We’ve put solutions on the table to heal the Queensland Health Crisis, including better resources, better triaging, sharing data in real-time and putting doctors and nurses back in charge to improve patient care.”