Frontline health staff boost for all Queenslanders

Published Friday, 30 September, 2016 at 03:36 PM

Minister for Health and Minister for Ambulance Services
The Honourable Cameron Dick

The release of the Queensland Health annual reports reflects the benefits of prudent financial management of the system, according to Health and Ambulance Services Minister Cameron Dick.

Restored frontline health services and recent legislative changes are highlighted in the Department of Health’s Annual Report 2015-16 which was tabled today in Parliament. 

The Minister said delivery of safe and responsive health services for Queenslanders has driven the boost to frontline staff and new legislation.

“The reports I tabled today record a $51 million surplus across our health system. It is a result achieved despite very significant increases in demand and the restoration of frontline services cut by the Newman-Nicholls Government.

“This surplus is delivered alongside very substantial improvements in our performance indicators.

“New mental health laws, legislated minimum safe nurse-to-patient ratios, and wide-ranging smoking bans will benefit many in the community now, and for years to come,” Mr Dick said.

“Supporting these changes is crucial, and we are boosting frontline staffing with an allocation of $212.3 million, over four years, to provide up to 4000 new nursing and midwifery graduate places, 16 new nurse educator positions and 400 nurse navigators to ensure patients get access to the most appropriate care.

“Already, more than 2000 of these new nurse graduates and 40 new nurse navigators have entered our frontline staff this year.

“We have also recruited an additional 115 ambulance officers this year, with 40 of those bought forward from our planned recruitment of 150 officers in 2016-17.

Mr Dick said frontline services have continued to deliver, despite facing increased demand on Emergency Departments this year, with more than 1.7 million presentations to Queensland emergency departments.

“In addition to record numbers of ED presentations, more than 730,000 triple zero calls were received and more than 330,000 calls were made to 13 HEALTH, with the majority of calls to our 24/7 health phone service answered within 20 seconds.

“The Queensland Ambulance Service responded to more than 980,000 incidents (code 1 to 4 and casualty room attendances), with more than 340,000 code 1 emergency incidents.”

“Our frontline staff continue to provide first rate service despite increasing demand.”

Mr Dick said funding to drive positive health outcomes and on-going support in areas where it will make substantial differences was also a key feature of the Annual Report.  

“Evidence-based initiatives aimed at closing the gap for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Queenslanders have been provided with funding of $200 million over the next three years.

“The scourge of ‘ice’ is met head-on, with $6 million in new funding to help Hospital and Health Services support individuals, families and communities respond to this health issue.”

Brisbane’s Princess Alexandra Hospital this year became the country’s first digital public hospital, an achievement described by Mr Dick as outstanding.

“Digital hospitals allow clinicians to focus on patients and not paperwork,” he said.

“This revolutionises the way healthcare is delivered in Queensland and this national first has been followed by Cairns also becoming a digital facility in 2016.”

In 2015-16, the department had a strong focus on reducing specialist outpatient long wait numbers, with a reduction from more than 100,000 at 1 January 2015, to 58,436 as at 30 June 2016. This was achieved as part of the Palaszczuk Government’s $361 million Outpatient Strategy.

“These significant cuts to long waits demonstrate that when you fund the front line, you lose the long wait.

“What is pleasing about these results is that we have been able to deliver them whilst achieving an operating surplus of $51 million across the system.”

The 2015-16 budget allocated a record $14.183 billion to the Health system, an increase of $560 million, or 4.1%, on the previous year.

Further achievements include:

  • Delivery of the first joint health-education Deadly kids, Deadly futures framework to prevent and manage middle ear disease in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
  • Introduction of compulsory Legionella reporting for hospitals and residential aged care facilities (with staged implementation)
  • Introduction of compulsory kilojoule labelling for select food businesses
  • Delivery of  CPR awareness sessions to 24,385 people
  • Launch of the Refugee Health and Wellbeing: A strategic Framework for Queensland 2016
  • Overhaul of  the Mental Health Act 2000 to create the biggest mental health reform in 15 years, with new measures ensuring better outcomes for mental health patients and significant benefits and greater rights for Queenslanders living with mental illness, their families and those who care for them
  • Commitment of more than $15 million over three years to combat syphilis and other sexually transmitted diseases in North Queensland
  • Completion of the new $17.5 million health and emergency services precinct at Alpha, with the Alpha Community Hospital delivering services from June.

These achievements are aligned with the My health, Queensland’s future: Advancing health 2026 strategy, a 10-year vision guiding the entire health system,” Mr Dick said.

 

ENDS

MEDIA CONTACT:   Laura Gowdie 0413 492 117