PUBLIC HOSPITAL STAFFING CONTINUES TO GROW

The latest health recruitment update shows the Beattie Government has increased its clinical workforce in public hospitals by a staggering 4,030 since June 2005, Health Minister Stephen Robertson said today.

Mr Robertson said Queensland Health now employed 736 more doctors, 2,363 more nurses and 931 more allied health professionals than in June 2005.

“These huge increases are net gains for our public hospitals,” Mr Robertson said.

“The new figures are proof the State Government’s $10 billion Health Action Plan is making strong inroads in rebuilding Queensland’s health system and changing the culture within Queensland Health.

“The growing clinical workforce is the main reason why our public hospitals are treating record numbers of patients and performing record amounts of surgery.”

Mr Robertson said despite Opposition and AMAQ claims, recruitment was outpacing the rate of resignations by a significant margin.

“We have 5,288 doctors working in our public hospitals today compared to 4,552 doctors in June 2005,” he said.

“We employ 24,274 nurses today compared to 21,911 in June 2005.

“And we have 6,737 allied health professionals compared to 5,806 in June 2005.”

Mr Robertson said in a massive service organisation such as Queensland Health, there will always be staff that leave at any point in time.

“Doctors, for example, will leave Queensland Health for a variety of reasons,” he said.

“A recent study of the reasons why doctors leave Queensland Health found 69 percent left after completing training positions, 10 percent retired and 21 percent left for other reasons.

“The majority of doctors departing are part of the necessary training process for medical officers destined for both private and public practice.

“Queensland Health is the only training organisation for medical graduates in Queensland.

“If it did not train medical graduates there would be no doctors flowing through to general practice or private hospitals.

“Similarly, Queensland Health will employ most of the intake of nursing graduates in Queensland.”

The January 2007 update of the Queensland Health Action Plan recruitment report can be found under Our Performance on www.health.qld.gov.au.

13 February,  2007
MEDIA: Joshua Cooney 3234 1185