Queensland’s emergency departments recorded significant improvements, demonstrating the effectiveness of the Miles Labor Government’s investments in healthcare.
Despite attacks from David Crisafulli and the LNP, data shows that Queensland Health is delivering better outcomes for Queenslanders around the state.
When they last had the chance, the LNP sacked 14,000 public servants including 4,400 health workers.
The Miles Labor Government is today backing the hard work of thousands of nurses and doctors working in emergency departments (EDs) across the state, while David Crisafulli and the LNP continue to spread fear about Queensland Health’s performance.
In July and August this year, around 3,000 more patients were transferred off-stretcher within 30 minutes compared to the same time last year, resulting in a 1.6 percentage point improvement in patient off-stretcher times to 56.9 per cent.
We have also seen average lost time per ambulance improve by four minutes compared to the same time last year – meaning more paramedics were back on the road caring for patients, sooner.
Across Queensland, ED wait times improved significantly, with Townsville, Mackay, and Central Queensland hospitals leading the way in faster patient care and improved POST times.
This fantastic progress shows that our plans are starting to work. The Miles Government’s $1.14 billion Putting Patients First plan is delivering more beds, healthcare workers and solutions like our nation-leading Satellite Hospitals program and expanded Transit Lounges to improve patient flow in EDs.
Regional breakdown of improvements include:
Far North Queensland: Cairns saw a 5.2 per cent improvement in ED Seen in Time and a 2 minutes reduction in median wait times.
Townsville: POST is at 86.2 per cent – one of the best in the state, with a median wait time of 15 minutes.
Mackay: The median ED wait time is just 11 minutes – six minutes faster than under the LNP.
Wide Bay: Bundaberg saw a four per cent improvement in the number of patients seen in clinically recommended timeframes, and Hervey Bay recorded a two minute improvement to median wait times.
Sunshine Coast: Sunshine Coast University Hospital posted a massive 21 per cent improvement on POST compared to the same time last year, and with Nambour’s newly expanded ED now open, they saw a 6.7 per cent boost over the last three months. When the LNP were in government, the median wait time across the Sunny Coast was 20 minutes. The Miles Labor Government has reduced that to just 13 minutes.
Gold Coast: Gold Coast University Hospital, the busiest ED in the country, recorded median ED wait times of just 11 minutes and saw a 1.4 per cent improvement in POST.
Central Queensland: Rockhampton saw a massive 15.7 per cent improvement in the number of patients seen in clinically recommended timeframes, and recorded a 13 minute improvement to median wait times. Gladstone also recorded a three minute improvement to wait times and a 1.4 per cent improvement in POST.
Metro North: Caboolture Hospital recorded an impressive 21 per cent improvement in POST compared to the same time last year, with a 3.4 per cent improvement at Redcliffe. And The Prince Charles Hospital saw a massive 7.1 per cent improvement in seen in time.
Metro South: The Princess Alexandra Hospital recorded a 5.7 per cent improvement in ED seen in time, with Redland Hospital seeing a 7.3 per cent improvement. And POST at Logan Hospital improved by 1.3 per cent.
These results highlight the success of our dedicated frontline health workers, and show that our plans are working.
Only the Miles Labor Government has a plan for the future of our health system, while all David Crisafulli and the LNP have to offer is an underfunded and undercooked version of our plan.
Last time the LNP were in government, they sacked 4,400 health workers, and now they’re refusing to be upfront with Queenslanders about their plans and how they will pay for them.
Quotes attributable to Premier Steven Miles:
“Healthcare is the most important service a government delivers.
“That world-class healthcare is only made possible by the hardworking health heroes on our frontline.
“That’s why I will deliver more doctors, more nurses, more ambos and more allied health workers, because that’s what matters.
“More staff working in bigger, better hospitals and satellite hospitals, combined with even more hospital beds where they are needed, will help relieve pressure on our busy hospitals.
“We have the biggest ever health budget in history to take our state forward.
“I have a plan to deliver better healthcare closer to home, a plan only Labor will deliver.”
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health, Mental Health and Ambulance Services Shannon Fentiman:
"Only the Miles Labor Government has a plan for Queensland’s health system, while the LNP are trying to slip into power using slick slogans.
“They haven’t said how they’ll reduce ramping or stabilise waitlists, and they don’t have a single dollar on the table to get long-stay patients out of our hospitals and into aged or disability care.
“And their so-called plan will see 1,200 hospital beds cut from the forward pipeline, and 12,000 fewer health workers.
“You don’t deliver world-class healthcare by cutting beds and cutting staff, but we know from the LNP’s record in government that they have form on both.
“They couldn’t even be bothered to do their homework and ended up announcing clinicians on boards – something that has been in legislation for 13 years.
“While we are building more hospital beds, more satellite hospitals and hiring more workers, the LNP’s plan is to cut beds, cut staff and cut health services.”
ENDS