Explosive new figures reveal patients at Bundaberg Hospital’s emergency department wait longer for treatment than anywhere else in the state.
More than half of all arrivals to the hospital have no choice but to wait longer than the clinically recommended time.
Latest figures show the number of patients treated on time at Bundaberg Hospital has slumped by 40% in the past year while Hervey Bay and Maryborough Hospitals has fallen by almost 20%.
Shockingly, hundreds of people on elective surgery waiting lists aren’t being seen on time, as well as those awaiting specialist appointments.
The figures show:
- More than half of all patients at Bundaberg Hospital’s emergency department aren’t seen on time. That number at Hervey Bay is 43% and in Maryborough it’s 40%.
- Almost 15% of all patients at Bundaberg and Maryborough on the waiting list for specialist appointments are also not being seen on time.
- Ambulance ramping at Bundaberg, Hervey Bay and Maryborough continues to rise with at least a quarter of patients left waiting on ramps, in hallways or along corridors.
Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli said the staggering figures proved Queensland Health was in crisis.
“These shocking figures show the extent of the Queensland Health Crisis right across the state,” he said.
“The number of patients stuck in emergency departments at Bundaberg and Hervey Bay is rising every day, up 7% from the last quarter and in Maryborough it’s up 5%.
“Meanwhile across Queensland, a quarter of patients in emergency departments aren’t seen on time, more than 1 in 3 patients are routinely stuck in ambulances outside hospitals and almost 250,000 Queenslanders are on the waiting list for the waiting list.
“It shows the State Government and the Health Minister aren’t listening to staff and patients on how to fix the Queensland Health crisis.
“Queenslanders deserve so much better than this.”
Shadow Health Minister and registered nurse Ros Bates said Queenslanders are dying in the arms of loved ones while waiting for an ambulance.
“For the Health Minister to say it is acceptable for Queenslanders to be waiting hours for an ambulance to turn up just shows how far she is out of her depth,” she said.
“Paramedics are crying out for help and have had to come up with their own solutions to try and put band aids on a system crumbling before our eyes.
“Meanwhile, thousands of patients in Wide Bay 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.
“They’ve had enough of this Minister ignoring them, she must listen and she must act.”
Mr Crisafulli said our dedicated doctors, nurses and paramedics are heroes holding our hospitals together during the Queensland Health Crisis.
“The frontline staff want to take control back from Queensland Health, they want better resources, they want data shared in real time, they want to drive cultural change so that an ambulance doesn’t have to wait at the end of a ramp,” he said.
“These are just some of the solutions the LNP has put forward to heal the Queensland Health Crisis.
“Rather than making excuses, the Premier must finally start listening and start finding solutions.”
ENDS
24/03/2022