Labor records biggest elective surgery waitlist in Queensland history
The Queensland Health Crisis has reached a shocking new low under Labor with more Queenslanders than ever before waiting for surgery.
New data shows the Elective Surgery Waitlist has risen by 1,383 to 61,421 Queenslanders between the end of March to the end of June this year.
The figure of 61,421 is the biggest number ever recorded and double the number it was in 2015 when the Palaszczuk-Miles Government came to power.
At Toowoomba Hospital the elective surgery waitlist soared by 664 to 2,833 since 2015 – a 31% increase.
The dire new data comes after Queensland recorded the worst six-month period in Queensland history for ambulance ramping.
Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli said he was determined to drive down these shocking numbers.
“We now have seen the worst ambulance ramping figure ever recorded and the worst elective surgery number in Queensland history in the first half of this year,” Mr Crisafulli said.
“These numbers represent a health system in crisis, frontline staff not being properly resourced and patients not getting the care they need.
“They represent our hardworking health workers being stretched to the limit and not getting the support they need.
“Time is up for Labor’s approach.
“I want Queenslanders to know if Government changes in October these are the figures we will drive down and be held accountable for.
“Only the LNP has the Right Plan to heal the Health Crisis and that starts with better resources, better triaging, releasing data in real-time and putting doctors and nurses back in charge to improve patient care.”
Shadow Health Minister Ros Bates said the Health Minister has broken her promises to Queenslanders.
“Queenslanders have heard every excuse under the sun from Shannon Fentiman but these numbers don’t lie,” Ms Bates said.
“She promised to get the surgery waitlist down and promised to fix ambulance ramping but she now holds the unwanted mantle of delivering Queensland the worst ambulance ramping and longest surgery waitlist in Queensland history.
“We now know why she wouldn’t release the elective surgery data to us in Estimates.
“These are Queenslanders waiting for life-changing surgery like hip replacements or cataract operations.
“How many of these patients have gone from treatable to untreatable due to Labor’s failures?
“The truth is, Labor will say and do anything to cling to power, but they can’t be trusted to heal the Queensland Health Crisis.
“They promised to heal the Queensland Health Crisis, yet more Queenslanders than ever before are waiting for critical surgeries and waiting on ambulance ramps.
“The Palaszczuk-Miles Government is in chaos and crisis and Queensland patients have suffered as a result.
“Nothing will change until the government changes in October.”
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SOURCE: Hospital Performance (health.qld.gov.au)
