Hospital and Health Boards Pass State Parliament

Legislation to deliver local control of hospital and health services across Queensland has been passed by Parliament after extensive debate.

Health Minister Lawrence Springborg said the laws would open the way for local decision-making and reverse damage caused by decades of Labor centralism.

“Health regions across this state have welcomed these legislative amendments,” the Minister said. “Through this bill, we return real decision-making power to individual regions. Under this Government, decision-making is no-longer a special privilege for people in Charlotte Street. This is not a health system on remote-control.”

The Minister said that with local boards in control of local health assets, clinicians and health workers would work side by side with decision makers. “If you’re a patient, the person taking your temperature or planning your care may be the same person at a boardroom table deciding the allocation of local health resources,” he said.

“This is a long-overdue re-orientation that has been welcomed with open arms right across this state.”

Mr Springborg said the changes facilitated national reforms, without the short-comings of existing laws, introduced under the Bligh Labor Government. He welcomed feedback and support from across the parliament and urged members to work closely with local Hospital and Health Boards to improve local service delivery.

The “Health and Hospitals Network and Other Legislation Amendment Bill enables the creation of seventeen boards, extending from the New South Wales Border to Torres Strait. Boards are enabled to take control of local assets and the employment of staff. Chairs have been appointed and the process of finalising board membership is under way in preparation for July 1.

As part of a cognate debate on health, the Parliament also considered and passed the Health Legislation (Health Practitioner Regulation National Law) Amendment Bill 2012.

The bill transfers professionals in the fields of diagnostic radiography, radiation therapy, and nuclear medicine technology as well as occupational therapists into a nation-wide registration scheme.

“From 1 July, medical radiation practitioners and occupational therapists holding current Queensland registration will transition automatically to the national scheme,” Mr Springborg said.

Ends

Contact: Cameron Thompson 0407-585230