Published Thursday, 15 November, 2007 at 10:11 AM
Minister for Health
The Honourable Stephen Robertson
Queensland Health continues to treat record numbers
Queensland public hospitals set a record for the most number of patients admitted and the most number treated in emergency departments during the three months to the end of September, Health Minister Stephen Robertson said today.
Mr Robertson tabled in State Parliament the latest Public Hospitals Performance Report which showed a record 216,258 patients admitted to public hospitals and a record 379,969 patients treated in EDs during the September quarter 2007.
More than half a million people were treated as either inpatients or emergencies and a record 886,385 patients were seen and treated as outpatients.
Public hospitals also performed the most amount of elective surgery (29,404 patients) since major reforms to the health system began in 2005.
“Today’s report proves that Queensland’s public system is improving and the State Government’s health reforms and massive budget increases are making a difference,” Mr Robertson said.
“The record numbers of doctors, nurses and allied health professionals working in the public system has clearly resulted in more patients getting their operation and more patients getting the services they need.
“There’s still a long way to go but we continue to make good progress in responding to increasing demand which keeps outstripping Queensland’s population growth.”
Mr Robertson said August was the busiest period, setting monthly records for the most number of patients admitted to hospital and the most number treated in EDs.
“A total of 74,848 patients were admitted and 85,259 were treated in our largest EDs,” he said.
“The spike in EDs attendances can be attributed to a particularly busy winter season which saw 7% of cases involving people suffering from the flu.
“These are patients who should be seen by their local GP but can’t because of Australia’s shortage of doctors and, in particular, a shortage of doctors offering 24-hour bulk-billing services.”
Mr Robertson said: “the percentage of category 1 ‘long waits’ fell from 11.9% in the September 2006 quarter to 9.6% while the percentage of patients waiting longer than the recommended time for elective surgery in the less urgent categories 2 and 3 also dropped compared to the previous quarter.”
During the September quarter, the percentage of category 2 ‘long waits’ fell from 22% to 19.9% while category 3 long waits fell from 32.9% to 31.1% compared to the same quarter in 2006.
“Overall, the percentage of category 1 patients waiting longer than recommended to the total number waiting across all three categories is less than 1%.
“Compared to the same quarter last year, significant increases in elective surgery activity were recorded at Mackay (63%), Caloundra (45.3%), Hervey Bay (44.1%), Caboolture (29.1%) and the Prince Charles Hospital (15.8%).
“These statistics show our regions are operating on more of their own local residents without having to send them to Brisbane or other larger hospitals for treatment.
“Today’s announcement of an extra $50 million in recurrent funding will also ensure our hospitals can operate on more people on the waiting list.”
Mr Robertson said the report’s ‘Special Focus’ section showed Queensland hospitals continued to be held back by the Commonwealth’s failure to adequately invest in aged care.
“Every day in Queensland, an average 452 public hospital beds are occupied by aged and frail patients who do not belong in a public hospital – they belong in a nursing home.”
“In the September quarter, more than 40,000 ‘hospital bed days’ were occupied by elderly Queenslanders because the Howard Government - which has responsibility for these patients – have nowhere else for them to go.
“It’s cost-shifting at its worst and it’s holding back our ability to perform more surgery and treat more patients requiring hospital attention.”
The Quarterly Public Hospitals Performance Report September 2007 can be found at www.health.qld.gov.au.
15 November, 2007
MEDIA: Joshua Cooney 3234 1185
Mr Robertson tabled in State Parliament the latest Public Hospitals Performance Report which showed a record 216,258 patients admitted to public hospitals and a record 379,969 patients treated in EDs during the September quarter 2007.
More than half a million people were treated as either inpatients or emergencies and a record 886,385 patients were seen and treated as outpatients.
Public hospitals also performed the most amount of elective surgery (29,404 patients) since major reforms to the health system began in 2005.
“Today’s report proves that Queensland’s public system is improving and the State Government’s health reforms and massive budget increases are making a difference,” Mr Robertson said.
“The record numbers of doctors, nurses and allied health professionals working in the public system has clearly resulted in more patients getting their operation and more patients getting the services they need.
“There’s still a long way to go but we continue to make good progress in responding to increasing demand which keeps outstripping Queensland’s population growth.”
Mr Robertson said August was the busiest period, setting monthly records for the most number of patients admitted to hospital and the most number treated in EDs.
“A total of 74,848 patients were admitted and 85,259 were treated in our largest EDs,” he said.
“The spike in EDs attendances can be attributed to a particularly busy winter season which saw 7% of cases involving people suffering from the flu.
“These are patients who should be seen by their local GP but can’t because of Australia’s shortage of doctors and, in particular, a shortage of doctors offering 24-hour bulk-billing services.”
Mr Robertson said: “the percentage of category 1 ‘long waits’ fell from 11.9% in the September 2006 quarter to 9.6% while the percentage of patients waiting longer than the recommended time for elective surgery in the less urgent categories 2 and 3 also dropped compared to the previous quarter.”
During the September quarter, the percentage of category 2 ‘long waits’ fell from 22% to 19.9% while category 3 long waits fell from 32.9% to 31.1% compared to the same quarter in 2006.
“Overall, the percentage of category 1 patients waiting longer than recommended to the total number waiting across all three categories is less than 1%.
“Compared to the same quarter last year, significant increases in elective surgery activity were recorded at Mackay (63%), Caloundra (45.3%), Hervey Bay (44.1%), Caboolture (29.1%) and the Prince Charles Hospital (15.8%).
“These statistics show our regions are operating on more of their own local residents without having to send them to Brisbane or other larger hospitals for treatment.
“Today’s announcement of an extra $50 million in recurrent funding will also ensure our hospitals can operate on more people on the waiting list.”
Mr Robertson said the report’s ‘Special Focus’ section showed Queensland hospitals continued to be held back by the Commonwealth’s failure to adequately invest in aged care.
“Every day in Queensland, an average 452 public hospital beds are occupied by aged and frail patients who do not belong in a public hospital – they belong in a nursing home.”
“In the September quarter, more than 40,000 ‘hospital bed days’ were occupied by elderly Queenslanders because the Howard Government - which has responsibility for these patients – have nowhere else for them to go.
“It’s cost-shifting at its worst and it’s holding back our ability to perform more surgery and treat more patients requiring hospital attention.”
The Quarterly Public Hospitals Performance Report September 2007 can be found at www.health.qld.gov.au.
15 November, 2007
MEDIA: Joshua Cooney 3234 1185