The LNP is demanding the State Government end the secrecy and immediately release hospital data on serious clinical incidents.
It comes after data released by the State Government late on Friday afternoon showed tens of thousands of Queenslanders in life-threatening situations were also not seen within 10 minutes of arriving at a hospital.
More than a third of almost 90,000 patients in life-threatening conditions were not seen by a doctor or a nurse within the clinically recommended timeframe.
The Health Minister attempted to quietly release the data for the September quarter late on Friday.
Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli slammed the move as a cover up and said the Government had clearly given up on its promise to be transparent.
“We now know the Government has the data so we’re demanding they share that with Queenslanders,” he said.
“Now in its third term, this Government is refusing to be open and honest with Queenslanders as the Queensland Health Crisis worsens every day.
“It’s only through changing the culture of Queensland Health that we’re going to empower those professionals to fix the Queensland Health Crisis.”
The State Government is also refusing to release information about the number and nature of serious clinical incidents in Queensland Hospitals.
The incidents known as SAC1 (Severity Assessment Code 1) refer to hospital errors that have resulted in death or permanent injury.
Shadow Health Minister Ros Bates said it was time to shine a light on these hidden figures.
“We know in Mackay alone of someone going in for shoulder surgery and dying due to being given the wrong drugs, or people having surgery on the wrong body parts,” she said.
“This is the result of a health system where staff are overworked, too much decision making is controlled centrally, and a Minister who won’t accept accountability.”
“The reason it is vital to be open and honest about SAC 1 incidents is so we can put measures in place to ensure they never happen again”.
“We are talking about people’s loved ones here.
“These are serious incidents and we know Queensland Health collects this information, so why won’t the State Government release it?”
Ms Bates said given the cloud of malpractice hanging over Caboolture and Mackay Hospitals it was more important than ever to know if serious clinical incidents were occurring in Queensland’s Hospitals.
“It’s time the Government stopped blocking the truth and started working to fix the health system,” she said.