Revealed: 1 in 5 patients waiting longer at Rockhampton, Gladstone EDs

“This isn’t just a Rockhampton and Gladstone problem, it’s a Queensland-wide problem.”

Shadow Minister for Health Ros Bates said the figures show the state government was losing control of the health system.

An apparent Queensland Health crisis is deepening in Central Queensland, with new data revealing increased wait times at emergency departments in Rockhampton and Gladstone.

The latest Queensland Health statistics show a blow out in the time Central Queenslanders are waiting for treatment in the ED.

The new figures reveal one in five patients are waiting longer than the clinically recommended time before they receive vital treatment.

Shadow Health Minister Ros Bates said the figures showed the state government was losing control of the health system.

“Thirty-five per cent of patients are stuck in the emergency department at Rockhampton Hospital longer than they should be. That is the definition of substandard care,” Ms Bates said.

“These aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet. These are kids with a broken arm at Saturday sport, or your grandparent breaking a hip.”

Ms Bates claimed cuts were being made to the frontline at a time when service levels were in a crisis.

“Currently across Queensland, one in four patients aren’t seen within the recommended time frame, while in Central Queensland it’s nearly one in three,” she said.

“This isn’t just a Rockhampton and Gladstone problem, it’s a Queensland-wide problem.

“As a nurse and former hospital administrator, I know how stressful it is for our frontline staff who are severely under-resourced.”

Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service chief executive Steve Williamson said Rockhampton and Gladstone hospitals had experienced higher than usual demand, and staff had been working hard to ensure patients received care they needed.

“There is no single apparent reason for the rise in demand, however in addition to the increasing number of presentations at our Emergency Department, we are also experiencing more sick patients that require hospital admission,” Mr Williamson said.

“The ED is a very busy location and has a big team of doctors, nurses and support staff all working very hard.

“They use a triage system to prioritise care for the sickest and most seriously injured patients to ensure everyone gets the best outcomes.

“This means less urgent cases sometimes need to wait for their treatment.”

Mr Williamson said Central Queensland Health had opened more beds in Rockhampton and Gladstone to help with the flow of patients from the ED to the ward.

“Our staff have been identifying patients who can be safely discharged from hospital or stepped down to recover in another location,” he said.

“Staff have been deployed to COVID testing and vaccination clinics, and we’ve been appointing more nurses to cover for this.

“I am proud to lead a team of highly professional and dedicated health professionals and support staff who work very hard to provide great care every day for their community.”

Ms Bates said the LNP had put solutions on the table including better triaging, more beds and the introduction of real-time data for emergency departments.

“Just last month, the LNP hosted Health Crisis Town Halls across Queensland and the stories from locals were harrowing and must serve as a wake-up call for the Health Minister,” she said.

“Queenslanders deserve a world class health system no matter where they live.”