Bundaberg records longest ED wait time

The longest emergency department wait times have been revealed and Bundaberg has topped the list.

New Queensland Health data shows a patient waited for almost 13 hours in the emergency department waiting room at the Bundaberg Hospital in June. *

Member for Burnett Stephen Bennett said doctors, nurses, paramedics, and patients are being let down by a broken system.

“Our health staff are being run off their feet, working double shifts just to keep Queensland hospitals running,” he said.

“They’re on the frontline of the health crisis but are getting no support from the Palaszczuk Labor Government who refuse to accept there’s a problem.

“Nurses in the ED have contacted me out of desperation with serious concerns around patient care due to the ED being overrun and understaffed.

“Patients are being ‘double banked’ in one-bed bays or ramped in ambulances outside.”

New data reveals almost 3,500 hours were lost due to ambulance ramping across the Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service between January and June of this year. **

That’s an average of 19 hours a day.

Mr Bennett said the LNP has a plan to fix the health crisis.

“The Opposition will continue to fight for our solutions to be adopted to heal the health crisis; better resources, better triaging, sharing data in real-time and putting doctors and nurses back in charge to improve patient care,” he said.

“All Queenslanders deserve a world class health system no matter where they live.”

* Source: https://documents.parliament.qld.gov.au/tableOffice/questionsAnswers/2023/952-2023.pdf

· 12 hours 51 minutes at Bundaberg Hospital in June

· 12 hours 16 minutes at PA Hospital in June

· 12 hours 13 minutes at RBWH in June

· 11 hours 32 minutes at Toowoomba Hospital in June

· 11 hours 24 minutes at Rockhampton Hospital in June

· 7 hours 27 minutes at Townsville University Hospital in May

· 7 hours 27 minutes at Cairns Hospital in July

** Apr 2023 – Jun 2023 Source: https://documents.parliament.qld.gov.au/tableoffice/questionsanswers/2023/889-2023.pdf

HHS	Jan 23	Feb 23	Mar 23	Apr 23	May 23	June 23	Total lost hours	Hours lost per day	Crews lost per day
Cairns	249	394	466	405	331	282	2127	12	1.2
CQ	532	434	614	657	681	658	3576	20	2.0
Children’s	41	62	57	37	61	60	318	2	0.2
Darling Downs	169	158	179	292	386	322	1506	8	0.8
Gold Coast	1040	955	833	884	1136	1151	5999	33	3.3
Mackay	179	234	266	196	294	257	1426	8	0.8
Mater	832	812	987	908	1159	1112	5810	32	3.2
Metro North	2192	2250	2366	2519	2978	3102	15,407	85	8.5
Metro South	4439	4564	5286	4498	5445	5336	29,568	163	16.3
North West	15	29	18	27	16	12	117	1	0.1
Sunshine Coast	710	566	653	619	764	581	3893	22	2.2
Townsville	113	104	132	144	93	119	705	4	0.4
West Moreton	1620	1826	2051	1641	2180	2194	11,512	64	6.4
Wide Bay	659	583	567	678	512	493	3492	19	1.9
Queensland	12,790	12,971	14,475	13,505	16,036	15,679	85,456	472	47.2