The Opposition is urgently demanding the State Government start fixing Queensland’s Regional Health Crisis.
Speaking outside Biloela Hospital in Central Queensland this morning, Opposition Leader David Crisafulli said too many hospitals in the bush were being over-looked and poorly resourced by the State Government.
“2022 is going to test our public health system like never before,” Mr Crisafulli said.
“After more than half a decade of decline across the health system, now is the time for the Health Minister to show some leadership and properly resource hospitals in Queensland.”
Statistics show how stressed our hardworking health staff in the region are.
• Ramping in Rockhampton hit 56% during 2021
• One patient in CQ HHS waited 17 hours for an ambulance last September
• 21 per cent of category two patients at Biloela Hospital aren’t seen within the recommended time of ten minutes
• Biloela patients need to be transferred to Rockhampton to get a CT scan
• Birthing suites in Theodore have been heartlessly closed
“If we want rural Queensland to flourish, we need our public health system to meet the needs of people in these communities.
“I won’t stop fighting for better healthcare in regional Queensland.
“The State Government talks up a ‘record health spending’ but their record on health is appalling.
“The State Government is losing control of the health system.
“Gaps have been exposed during the covid pandemic which has forced the cancellation of non-urgent elective surgeries until March.
“The LNP has four immediate solutions that can be adopted by the Health Minister including more beds, improved triaging, empowering local doctors and nurses to make decisions at the coal face and introducing real time data to drive change.
“I want to thank our doctors, nurses, paramedics and allied health professionals for their dedication to keep the health system running and putting patient care first, Mr Crisafulli said.
“The staff are the ones holding our health system together right now, while the embattled Health Minister pretends everything is running smoothly.”
