Revealed: Gympie residents forced to SCUH for fractures

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath has revealed hundreds of Gympie patients left the region for treatment in 2022, when the hospital’s own fracture clinic was controversially shut for two months.

Health minister Yvette D’Ath (inset) has revealed hundreds of Gympie patients left the region for treatment at the Sunshine Coast in 2022, when the hospital’s own fracture clinic was controversially shut for two months.

Almost 17 Gympie region patients had to travel to the Sunshine Coast for fracture care on average each week in 2022 according to new figures released amid ongoing concerns about the region’s own service.

The figures were revealed by Health Minister Yvette D’Ath in response to a question on notice from MP Tony Perrett about Gympie Hospital’s embattled fracture clinic.

The clinic was controversially closed for two months in 2022.

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They reveal from January 5 to November 16, 2022, more than 800 appointments for Gympie region patients with new or existing injuries were held at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital.

These included a spike of 120 appointments in June, during the height of the clinic’s shutdown.

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Queensland Health Minister Yvette D'Ath revealed new figures which show 806 Gympie region residents had fractures treated at the Sunshine Coast from January to November, 2022, when Gympie’s own clinic was first shuttered due to a shortage of staff, and then reopened as a once-per-fortnight service instead once-per-week. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Josh Woning

It did not reopen until July 13, this time as a fortnightly service instead of once each week.

Ms D’Ath said the controversial “temporary” closure of the clinic was the result of “a shortage of medical officers”.

It was expected to return to being a weekly service in February.

She said 843 fracture clinic appointments (about 19 per week) were provided at Gympie Hospital during the same period.

A portion of patients treated at SCUH had been referred there due to the complexity of their case and treatments, Ms D’Ath said.

The closure of Gympie Hospital’s fracture clinic in was one of several issues raised during a town-hall meeting about the state of the region’s health service in mid-2022.

Sunshine Coast Health and Hospital Service CEO Dr Peter Gillies said Gympie Hospital “remains a priority” for the service.

“We again apologise for the temporary closure of our fracture clinic at Gympie Hospital,” Dr Gillies said.

“Unfortunately, this was unavoidable.”

Gympie MP Tony Perrett said the figures were “unacceptable” for the growing Gympie region, which stretched from the Cooloola Coast to Glenwood, Kilkivan and Goomeri.

“We need a fully functioning fracture clinic in Gympie,” Mr Perrett said.

The reliance of Gympie residents on Sunshine Coast service’s was not helping the region’s southern neighbours, either.

“The last thing SCUH needs is referrals from our region,” Mr Perrett said.

Gympie MP Tony Perrett said the number of the region’s residents having their fracture treatments at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital was “unacceptable” given the region’s continued growth.

It was putting pressure on the health service staff who were “working hard to deliver what services they can”.

The loss of the fracture clinic in 2022 sparked outrage across the region, with one resident launching a petition calling for the state government to restore the service as soon as possible.

The state’s response to the petition was not met warmly by petitioner Helen Miguel.

Dr Gillies said in 2022 investments were made to “increase clinical staff to care for paediatric patients” along with adding additional four short stay beds increasing mental health clinicians within the emergency department.

“We value all of our hardworking healthcare staff who continue to provide high quality care for our communities residing in the Gympie regions,” Dr Gillies said.