No doctor at Biloela Hospital to treat sick woman

Sick enough to need hospital-level care, a Qld woman went to her local emergency department but was instead forced to seek help through telehealth because no doctors were on the ground.

A woman seeking emergency medical assistant at Biloela Hospital was allegedly forced to rely on a telehealth conversation due to a shortage of doctors on duty for night shift.

A sick woman rushed to Biloela Hospital earlier this month was forced to see a doctor overnight using telehealth because no doctor was available to treat her.

Two doctors - only one full-time - were employed by the hospital which services a community of 5690 people, according to Queensland Health data from March 2025.

Already under fire for its lack of maternity services, the hospital claims to operate 24 hours a day and provides specialised care to patients with serious illnesses or injuries.

Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service (CQHHS) chief executive Lisa Blackler said recent sick leave and the unavailability of locum doctors left the hospital short.

Central Queensland Health Chief Executive Lisa Blackler. Pic: Contributed

“Biloela Hospital normally has rostered medical staff across the 24-hour period,” Ms Blackler said.

“Where possible, Gladstone Hospital doctors have covered shifts in Biloela, and when there has been no doctor availability Retrieval Services Queensland has supported by providing emergency specialists via telehealth.

“Telehealth appointments are used, especially in rural hospitals, where emergency specialists can advise on the best treatment options and admit suitable patients to the ward as usual.”

The woman was taken to Gladstone Hospital, where people with more serious conditions are treated, one-and-a-half hours away that evening on July 6, much to her husband’s frustration.

Ms Blackler said this was common practice for people who needed a higher level of care than what Biloela Hospital could provide, regardless of doctor availability.

The woman’s husband described the new LNP government’s “better healthcare for Queensland” as “all smoke and mirrors”.

A spokeswoman for Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Tim Nicholls said the government remains committed to growing the state’s medical workforce. Picture: Liam Kidston

But Health Minister Tim Nicholls and his office refused to comment on the woman’s specific circumstances, with a spokeswoman for the Minister blaming the former government for “a decade of Labor neglect”.

She said, “growing our health workforce and providing easier access to health services in rural and remote Queensland is a top priority”.

Ms Blackler also admitted it was a challenge to recruit staff to rural areas and there was a shortage of suitably qualified staff.

“Works at Biloela will support our recruitment efforts, with six new staff accommodation units under construction,” she said.

“(An) upgraded operating theatre and refurbished birth suite will also help, while a much larger redevelopment plan for the hospital will provide a modern facility.”

CQHHS did not respond by deadline when asked how many doctors were currently employed and how many vacancies there were.

Originally published as No doctor at Biloela Hospital to treat sick woman