A SOLID PERFORMANCE FOR QUEENSLAND’S HOSPITALS

Performance figures released today for the September quarter show Queensland’s public hospitals are working harder than ever with increases in admissions, emergency attendances and elective surgery procedures continuing to far outstrip population growth.

Health Minister Stephen Robertson today released the September 2008 Quarterly Public Hospitals Performance Report which highlighted that compared with the same quarter last year, there had been:-

• a 5.8 per cent increase in emergency department attendances;
• a 5.9 per cent increase in hospital admissions.

Mr Robertson said the record numbers were testament to the hard work of Queensland Health staff throughout the State and evidence of the positive impact the Bligh Government’s commitment was making to improving access to essential health services.

“As part of our Towards Q2 initiative we are committed to making Queenslanders Australia’s healthiest people through our target to achieve the shortest public hospital waiting times in Australia,” Mr Robertson said.

“This solid performance demonstrates we are well on our way to achieving that goal,” he said.

Compared to the September 2007 quarter, Queensland hospitals:-

• provided 36,733 more specialist outpatient services, a 6.2 per cent increase and;
• provided elective surgery to an extra 2,626 patients, an 8.9 per cent increase.

“Importantly, the number of patients waiting for their elective surgery longer than clinically desirable decreased by 17.6 per cent across all categories compared to the same quarter last year.” he said.

“I was particularly pleased to see the 41 per cent reduction in Category 1 ‘long waits’ since the September 2007 quarter.

“These are the people most in need of their elective surgery procedure.

Mr Robertson said continuing reductions in the number of ‘long wait’ patients over the last few quarters is a strong sign that the Queensland Government’s ‘long wait’ reduction strategies were having a positive effect in improving timely access to elective surgery services for Queenslanders.

“However, despite treating a record number of ‘long wait’ patients, there was still more to be done and I am committed to maintaining the momentum driven by the Bligh Government to achieve further improvements,” he said.

“Category 2 (semi-urgent) ‘long-waits’ are still higher than we would like and have increased (1.4 per cent) slightly over the quarter.

“This is partly due to our focus on Category 1 (urgent) elective surgery in our hospitals and Surgery Connect’s focus on mostly Category 3 ‘long waits’(non-urgent), and this is something we will be paying more attention to over this quarter,” he said.

“I am particularly pleased that our strategy to target elective surgery for children is delivering results with the number of ‘long waits’ at the Royal Children’s Hospital - down 27 per cent from 663 to 481 compared to the June 2008 quarter, even though Mater Children’s long waits increased modestly.

“This is still too many, but in just three months I am pleased to see our commitment to reducing waiting lists at the Royal Children’s Hospital is making significant inroads.

“We will continue our focus to reduce ‘long wait’ elective surgery lists for our sickest children,” he said.

Mr Robertson said emergency department attendances continued to climb with attendances up 5.8 per cent on the September 2007 quarter.

“This is partly due to an ageing population facing more chronic disease, and also a continuing dearth of General Practitioners.

Mr Robertson said a national patient survey commissioned by state health departments in 2007 showed 75 per cent of patients surveyed said problems with GP accessibility was their reason for attending a hospital emergency department.

“Of those surveyed only 34 per cent really thought they needed hospital or emergency treatment.

“Obviously this has an impact on our hospitals and contributes to longer than desirable waiting times.

“Even so waiting time at hospital emergency departments improved modestly over the quarter in three out of five categories.

“We’re also working with the Rudd Government to reduce waiting lists, as well as looking at measures to improve access to aged care beds to reduce access block.

Mr Robertson said the number of emergency admissions had increased by 13.9 per cent since the launch of the Health Action Plan in 2006.

Over the same period, Queensland’s population increased by approximately 6 per cent.

“With hospital admissions increasing by more than double population growth, I have endorsed the *eight point, ‘Whole-of-Hospital Plan’ developed by Senior Emergency Clinicians to reduce access block across our major public hospitals to reduce ED and admission waiting times even further.

Mr Robertson said Queensland Health continued to employ record numbers of clinical staff – doctors, nurses and allied health professionals.

“Since June 2005 we have employed an additional 1,675 doctors (a 37 per cent increase), 5,834 nurses (a 27 per cent increase) and 2,030 allied health staff (a 29 per cent increase).

“This report shows our hospitals are working harder than ever, and the strategies this Government has put in place are making strong improvements to ensuring more Queenslanders receive the timely health care they need and deserve.”

“I have nothing but praise for our dedicated staff and I thank them all for their hard work,” Mr Robertson said.

Ends.

MEDIA: Kate Van Poelgeest 3234 1185 or Martin Philip 3235 2680

* The eight points are:

• Implementing robust internal processes to improve bed availability.
• Ensuring timely and appropriate discharge protocols are in place with executive directors of Medical Services and Nursing directly involved in managing this.
• Enabling key staff to have input into developing strategies to reduce pressure on emergency departments.
• Introducing into performance contracts for District CEOs personal accountabilities for managing organisational issues impacting access block.
• Focussing on whole of hospital performance indicators for access block.
• Developing and implementing predictive software to enhance bed management.
• Working with the Divisions of General Practice to enhance access to GP and other community-based services.
• Creating a senior position within Queensland Health to bring an organisation-wide focus to improving emergency department services and links with intensive care issues.