CAIRNS HEALTH DISTRICT $150 MILLION OUT OF POCKET

The Howard Government has robbed Cairns Hospital and the health district of $150 million by not matching Beattie Government funding, Health Minister Stephen Robertson said today.

Mr Robertson said the Howard Government was also clogging up the Cairns Hospital which had up to 50 patients waiting for the Commonwealth to open up more nursing home places.

“Prime Minister John Howard is short changing Queensland public hospitals throughout Queensland including Cairns to the tune of $2.6 billion over the life of the current funding agreement,” he said.

“Calculated on a district by district level, Mr Howard had robbed Cairns and the Hinterland district of $150 million.

“Queenslanders don’t need the Howard Government handpicking marginal seats to pork barrel.

“They don’t need a Canberra takeover of State-run hospitals like Mersey Hospital in Tasmania.”

“Instead of constantly attacking the Cairns Hospital, Liberal Member for Leichhardt Warren Entsch could make a real difference by calling on his Prime Minister to face up to the responsibilities the Commonwealth already has.”

Mr Robertson said another major failing of the Howard Government on health had been aged care.

“Every single day our public hospitals are forced to care for around 468 patients who shouldn’t be there,” he said.

“One in 20 of our inpatients belong in a nursing home, not a hospital ward.

“In Cairns Hospital, up to 50 patients could be waiting.

“That’s 50 more patients Cairns could be treating every day if the Commonwealth finally opened up more nursing home places.

“If he wanted to make a difference in Cairns, Mr Howard could do so literally overnight by finally becoming a real funding partner and properly running aged care.”

During the past five years, the Beattie Government has increased the number of beds at Cairns Base Hospital by more than 40 percent from 265 to 375.

The number of doctors employed at the hospital has increased over the past 12 months alone by 11 percent from 186 to 207, the number of nurses by 12 percent from 689 to 773 and the number of allied health professionals by 19 percent from 90 to 107.

MEDIA: Joshua Cooney 3234 1185