New data has revealed the highest level of capacity emergency has been declared multiple times at the Bundaberg Base Hospital in the last three months.
From April to June this year the Bundaberg Hospital reached “maximum capacity” or Tier 3, on six occasions. *
It spent the longest time at capacity for an average of 81 hours during each instance, compared to every other Queensland Hospital.
When a hospital is escalated to Tier 3, nearly every bed is occupied and the hospital struggles to admit any new patients, leaving people ramped in ambulances or left to be transferred to other hospitals.
Member for Burnett Stephen Bennett said it’s a clear sign things are deteriorating within the Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service.
“This new data is terrifying for anyone who relies on the public health system,” said Mr Bennett.
“But it’s not just the numbers that speaks volumes, Emergency Department nurses have contacted me because they’re extremely concerned for patients and are desperate for help.
“It’s alleged patients are being ‘double banked’ with two people being placed in a one bed bay.
“We’re also hearing that the ‘coding’ for this bed block issue has been decreased meaning that ‘on paper’ the double banking isn’t as urgent as it once was.
“The performance level of the WBHHS has dropped dramatically from a Level 1 (Excellent) to Level 3 (Unsatisfactory) in just three years. **
“The data is there, the stories are mounting, it’s clear the Health Minister and her chaotic Labor Government are scrambling.
“Unfortunately, Labor is out of answers for the crisis they’ve created.
“The LNP has put solutions on the table to heal the Health Crisis including more resources, better triaging, releasing data in real-time and putting doctors and nurses back in charge to improve patient care.”
Mr Bennett tabled a Question on Notice to the Minister for Health this morning.
Regarding performance level data provided in the Minister’s answer to my previous Question on Notice No. 1381 from November 2022 where it was revealed the performance level of the WBHHS had dropped from Level 1 to Level 3 (unsatisfactory) in just three years, can the Minister confirm (a) if ministerial advisors have been meeting with WBHHS executives on a weekly basis in an attempt to improve performance levels? (b) if the Minister has personally been conducting regular meetings with the WBHHS executives? (c) what actions are being taken to improve the WBHHS performance level? (d) the current performance rating of the WBHHS?
ENDS.
* SOURCE: Queensland Health Performance Data
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| Hospital | Escalations | Average Duration (hrs:mins) | Total time (hrs:mins) |
| Bundaberg | 6 | 81.37 | 488.22 |
| Caboolture | 13 | 36.34 | 472.42 |
| Cairns | 8 | 39.3 | 314.4 |
| Doomadgee | 2 | 9.02 | 18.04 |
| GCUH | 11 | 54.23 | 596.53 |
| Gladstone | 3 | 57.11 | 171.33 |
| Hervey Bay | 7 | 38.43 | 269.01 |
| Ipswich | 5 | 36.06 | 180.3 |
| Logan | 3 | 22.01 | 66.03 |
| Mackay | 14 | 66.24 | 927.36 |
| Mt Isa | 8 | 31.01 | 248.08 |
| PA Hospital | 3 | 22.31 | 66.93 |
| Prince Charles | 10 | 43.41 | 434.1 |
| Queensland Children’s | 6 | 13.1 | 78.6 |
| QEII | 2 | 22.02 | 44.04 |
| RBWH | 6 | 34 | 204 |
| Redcliffe | 7 | 29.53 | 206.71 |
| Redland | 2 | 25.47 | 50.94 |
| Robina | 11 | 54.23 | 596.53 |
| Rockhampton | 15 | 48.22 | 723.3 |
| SCUH | 1 | 15 | 15 |
| Townsville | 13 | 70.11 | 911.43 |
| TOTAL | 156 | 38.56 | 7083.30 |
** SOURCE: https://documents.parliament.qld.gov.au/tableoffice/questionsanswers/2022/1381-2022.pdf
13/09/2023