Record surgeries, shorter ED waits as health system makes positive gains

• Hospital performance data for July to September shows significant improvements across the public health system
• More than 38,200 patients underwent elective surgery, an almost 16 per cent increase compared to the same time last year.
• Elective surgery long waits have decreased by 40% – that’s 2,800 patients – compared to the same time last year.
• Almost 186,000 specialist outpatient appointments were recorded.
• Emergency department wait times also improved.

Queensland’s public hospitals have achieved an all-time record for elective surgeries completed, while also reducing wait times and recording more outpatient appointments.

The latest hospital performance data shows the state’s health system is continuing to deliver world-class healthcare despite mounting pressures, including booming demand, global workforce challenges, and increasing numbers of long-stay patients.

Queensland’s public hospitals performed elective surgery on 38,251 patients in the July-September period – 5,235 more than the same quarter last year.

Between July and September, 38,251 Queenslanders received elective surgeries in our public hospitals – the most surgeries ever delivered in a single quarter.

This significant achievement means that Queensland Health delivered 5,235 more surgeries than this time last year.

And in a promising indication that our hospitals are bouncing back from COVID, the number of patients waiting longer than clinically recommended for surgery declined by 40% to 5,540, the lowest number since December 2021.

The number of specialist outpatient appointments also improved significantly, with specialist outpatient clinics recording 185,940 appointments – a 12.2 per cent increase on the same period in 2022.

A total of 575,567 patients presented to an emergency department across Queensland during the quarter – a 3 per cent rise compared with the same period last year.

All category 1 emergency department patients – the most urgent – were seen immediately, and 73 per cent of all patients who presented to an emergency department were seen within clinically recommended times.

In the same period last year, 69 per cent of all emergency department patients were seen on time.

The median ED wait time was 15 minutes, compared to 17 minutes in the September Quarter last year.

The Code 1A ambulance response time for the latest quarter was 8.5 minutes and the lost minutes per ambulance also decreased.

However, the number of long-stay patients grew from 780 (as at 31 May 2023) to 877 (as at 30 August 2023), putting further pressure on our hospitals. In response to these increasing numbers, the Health Minister also announced $200 million over the next two years to reduce the number of long stay patients and increase hospital capacity.

More information on the $200 million to reduce long-stay patients is available here: https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/99076

For more hospital performance data, visit www.performance.health.qld.gov.au.

Quotes attributable to the Minister for Health, Mental Health and Ambulance Services and Minister for Women Shannon Fentiman:

“Our public health system performed exceptionally well in the last quarter, thanks to our incredible hospital and ambulance staff.

“A record number of Queenslanders received the surgery they need – with more procedures performed than any other time in Queensland’s history.

“Statewide, our emergency departments saw an average of 6,250 patients a day, an increase on the same quarter last year, and they managed to provide prompt, effective care.

“Likewise, 21,706 more Queenslanders than last year had appointments with our specialist outpatient clinics.

“More than 56 per cent of emergency department patients transferred by ambulance were taken off stretcher within 30 minutes of arriving, a 1.8 per cent improvement on the previous quarter.

“Further analysis shows there was a 2.1 per cent increase in patient off stretcher times (POST) in September this year, compared with September last year, an early indication our efforts to address ramping are working.

“These improvements have come despite increasing demand, global workforce challenges and more long-stay patients, which has a significant impact on bed capacity.

“Our $764 million Putting Patients First plan is improving the flow of patients through our hospitals, easing ramping, and reducing wait times.

“Clinical innovations including transit lounges, short-stay units and rapid response services have been instrumental in promoting emergency department alternatives, reducing patients’ lengths of stay, freeing up beds, and managing pressures.

“As these initiatives progress, we should see more benefits as we address workforce challenges, bring more beds on line and deliver more hospital upgrades and expansions.

“Our south-east Queensland Satellite Hospital Program is already proving its value, with our Caboolture, Ripley and Redland facilities helping to reduce category 4 and 5 presentations at nearby emergency departments.

“I know there is still room for improvement, and I am committed to working closely with our Hospital and Health Services to build on these results.

“We will continue working hard to ensure our health system remains among the best in the world and clearly these results show our hard work is paying off.”

ENDS