QLD HEALTH SYSTEM MAKING PROGRESS AFTER TWO YEARS

A record 85,000 Queenslanders were treated in public hospital emergency departments around the State in August this year, Health Minister Stephen Robertson said today.

Mr Robertson tabled in State Parliament the Health action: delivering reform report to mark the second anniversary of the State Government’s five-year $10 billion Health Action Plan.

“A massive 85,259 people were treated in our EDs in August – that’s the highest number for any month on record,” Mr Robertson said.

“It translates to 2,750 people every day and 115 people every hour. The previous ED record month was March this year when 80,156 people were treated.

“These latest figures show we are treating record numbers of patients by employing record numbers of staff doctors, nurses and allied health professionals.”

Mr Robertson said today’s report showed how far Queensland Health had progressed in just two years towards reforming and renewing the public health system.

“We’re building a first-class system that’s more patient-focussed, more responsive to challenges, more flexible to emerging trends, more accountable to public scrutiny, and better resourced and equipped to deal with increasing demand,” he said.

“Queensland Health’s budget this year is a massive $7.15 billion, more than double what it was 10 years ago ($3.4 billion in 1997-98).

“We now employ 6,200 more clinicians than we did in June 2005.

“In 2005 there were 4,552 doctors, 21,911 nurses and 5,806 allied health professionals.

“Now there are 5,659 doctors, 25,744 nurses and 7,062 allied health professionals.”

Mr Robertson said the State Government was also funding projects that would open more than 2,500 additional hospital beds between 2006 and 2016 at a cost of $3.6 billion.

“More clinicians and more beds translates to better and quicker patient care,” he said.

Other highlights include:

·The creation of a new independent watchdog – the Health Quality and Complaints Commission – with a lot more powers and more resources than its predecessor;

·A new process to independently investigate every surgical death in our hospitals;

·A new Office of the Medical Board to help tighten the assessment processes for doctors’ registration;

·An unprecedented level of public reporting about staffing, surgery, activity, clinical performance and serious incidents;

·The largest health infrastructure program ever undertaken in Queensland with three new tertiary hospitals worth around $3 billion and major capital works projects recently completed or in progress from the Gold Coast to Thursday Island;

·Forging close co-operative partnerships such as smart technologies, with GPs and non-government organisations so patients receive better continuity of care;

·Better managing specialist outpatient services by increasing system capacity and introducing waiting time guarantees;

·Introducing new roles for clinical staff such as nurse practitioners who can carry out enhanced duties and rural generalists - doctors who specialise in rural practice;

·Investing in our workforce with an extra $145 million over four years being spent on improving education and training of our health professionals and $60 million to fund 235 doctor training places at Griffith University over eight years;

·Better accommodation for regional health staff through a $91 million program. So far houses and units have been either purchased or built housing 239 staff; and

·In 2006-07, a record 817,313 patients were admitted, 4.5 percent up on the previous year, a record 886,829 patients were treated in emergency departments, 5 percent up on the previous year and a record 3.5 million people were seen and treated in specialist outpatient departments, 7.2 percent up on the previous year.

Mr Robertson said two years ago Queensland did not have a health contact centre but since the 13 HEALTH hotline commenced in April 2006, it had provided help and advice to more than 230,000 Queenslanders.

“Mental health is also now a major priority area. We are investing in mental health like no other Queensland Government ever did,” he said.

“A record increase of $528.8 million over four years is being used to employ more staff, open more mental health beds and build better environments for patients and staff.

“Queensland is making a lot of progress despite being short-changed by the Howard Government to the tune of $2.9 billion.”

The Health action: delivering reform report can be found on Queensland Health’s website: www.health.qld.gov.au.

MEDIA: Joshua Cooney 3234 1185