Published Monday, 30 July, 2007 at 01:47 PM
Minister for Health
The Honourable Stephen Robertson
BOOST TO SPECIALIST OUTPATIENT SERVICES ON GOLD COAST
Free specialist outpatient services at the Gold Coast Hospital will be boosted to improve access for patients waiting for specialist outpatient care, Health Minister Stephen Robertson said today.
Mr Robertson said the Beattie Government is investing $750,468 in recurrent funding to boost specialist outpatient services at the hospital; including $366,000 to establish an Orthopaedic Physiotherapy Screening Clinic.
“The Gold Coast Hospital provided specialist outpatient appointments to 158,555 patients during 2006-07 -- a 15.2% increase on the 137,649 patients seen in 2005-06,” he said.
“But there were 9,122 patients waiting for an appointment with a specialist through the hospital as at 1 March 2007.
“This new funding is part of a comprehensive package of reforms being implemented to improve access to, and delivery of, specialist outpatient services in Queensland public hospitals.
“It’s about ensuring those patients who have waited the longest and who have the highest clinical priority are seen first.”
Mr Robertson said patients throughout Australia often face lengthy waits to see a specialist whether in private practice or through a public hospital.
“Increasingly, many families are forced onto the public system because they can’t afford to see a private specialist because of the gap between what the doctor charges and what the patient gets back through Medicare.
“The increase to specialist outpatient services at Gold Coast Hospital will improve access and delivery to patients; and help the hospital meet increasing demand for these services.”
Mr Robertson said the Gold Coast Hospital also had a year of record performance during 2006-07 according to the latest Quarterly Queensland Public Hospital Performance Report.
“The Gold Coast Hospital experienced record admissions, treated more people than ever before and achieved significantly improved elective surgery outcomes during 2006-07,” he said.
“A record 64,251 patients were admitted to hospital during the year compared with 61,118 patients during 2005-06.
“The hospital’s emergency department also treated a record 68,649 patients during 2006-07 -- a 9% increase on the 63,245 presentations the previous year.
“The Gold Coast Hospital has the second busiest emergency department in Queensland and treats an average 17,000 patients each quarter.
“I want to acknowledge our busy emergency department teams on the Gold Coast who are working hard to ensure our hospitals meet the increased service challenges they face during winter.”
Mr Robertson said the Gold Coast Hospital had also improved its elective surgery performance during 2006-07 despite ever-increasing demand for emergency surgery.
“The hospital provided elective surgery for 2,858 patients during the three months to 1 July 2007 compared with 2,442 operations during the corresponding quarter in 2006.
“On 1 July 2007, there were 2,561 patients on the hospital’s elective surgery waiting list compared with 2,738 on 1 April 2007 and 3,202 patients on 1 July 2006.
“The hospital has also achieved a significant 10% reduction in the number of patients waiting longer than nationally recommended for their elective surgery.
“The number of ‘long wait’ elective surgery patients was halved from 878 (27.4% of all waiting list patients) in July 2006 to 443 or 17.3% of waiting list patients as at 1 July 2007.”
A copy of the Quarterly Public Hospital Performance Report June quarter 2007 is available in the What’s New box at the Queensland Health website: http://www.health.qld.gov.au/
30 July, 2007
MEDIA: PAUL LYNCH 3234 1190
Mr Robertson said the Beattie Government is investing $750,468 in recurrent funding to boost specialist outpatient services at the hospital; including $366,000 to establish an Orthopaedic Physiotherapy Screening Clinic.
“The Gold Coast Hospital provided specialist outpatient appointments to 158,555 patients during 2006-07 -- a 15.2% increase on the 137,649 patients seen in 2005-06,” he said.
“But there were 9,122 patients waiting for an appointment with a specialist through the hospital as at 1 March 2007.
“This new funding is part of a comprehensive package of reforms being implemented to improve access to, and delivery of, specialist outpatient services in Queensland public hospitals.
“It’s about ensuring those patients who have waited the longest and who have the highest clinical priority are seen first.”
Mr Robertson said patients throughout Australia often face lengthy waits to see a specialist whether in private practice or through a public hospital.
“Increasingly, many families are forced onto the public system because they can’t afford to see a private specialist because of the gap between what the doctor charges and what the patient gets back through Medicare.
“The increase to specialist outpatient services at Gold Coast Hospital will improve access and delivery to patients; and help the hospital meet increasing demand for these services.”
Mr Robertson said the Gold Coast Hospital also had a year of record performance during 2006-07 according to the latest Quarterly Queensland Public Hospital Performance Report.
“The Gold Coast Hospital experienced record admissions, treated more people than ever before and achieved significantly improved elective surgery outcomes during 2006-07,” he said.
“A record 64,251 patients were admitted to hospital during the year compared with 61,118 patients during 2005-06.
“The hospital’s emergency department also treated a record 68,649 patients during 2006-07 -- a 9% increase on the 63,245 presentations the previous year.
“The Gold Coast Hospital has the second busiest emergency department in Queensland and treats an average 17,000 patients each quarter.
“I want to acknowledge our busy emergency department teams on the Gold Coast who are working hard to ensure our hospitals meet the increased service challenges they face during winter.”
Mr Robertson said the Gold Coast Hospital had also improved its elective surgery performance during 2006-07 despite ever-increasing demand for emergency surgery.
“The hospital provided elective surgery for 2,858 patients during the three months to 1 July 2007 compared with 2,442 operations during the corresponding quarter in 2006.
“On 1 July 2007, there were 2,561 patients on the hospital’s elective surgery waiting list compared with 2,738 on 1 April 2007 and 3,202 patients on 1 July 2006.
“The hospital has also achieved a significant 10% reduction in the number of patients waiting longer than nationally recommended for their elective surgery.
“The number of ‘long wait’ elective surgery patients was halved from 878 (27.4% of all waiting list patients) in July 2006 to 443 or 17.3% of waiting list patients as at 1 July 2007.”
A copy of the Quarterly Public Hospital Performance Report June quarter 2007 is available in the What’s New box at the Queensland Health website: http://www.health.qld.gov.au/
30 July, 2007
MEDIA: PAUL LYNCH 3234 1190