More than 272,000 patients waiting too long for specialist appointments

Doctor shortages have been blamed for a blowout in the times some patients are waiting to see specialists, including those potentially suffering life-threatening health issues.

The Queensland government has blamed the doctor shortage for a huge blowout in the number of patients waiting longer than clinically recommended to see a specialist.

A staggering 272,328 Queenslanders are languishing on the state’s specialist outpatient waiting list, up from 267,242 in the last quarter.

Shockingly, 59 per cent of Queenslanders who need to see a gastroenterologist are waiting longer than is medically preferred, delaying lifesaving colonoscopies.

Specialist appointments are delayed across all areas of medicine with geriatrics showing a 20 per cent spike patients waiting compared to last year.

It has become increasingly difficult to see eye doctors, kidney specialists and cardiologists.

Queensland Health is blaming the backlog on workforce challenges, the ageing population and Queenslanders pulling out of private health cover.

“Covid-19 also impacted healthcare in Queensland, particularly in 2022, where planned services were suspended as a result of patients or staff becoming infected,” a spokesman said.

Shadow Health Minister Ros Bates says people could die waiting for specialist outpatient appointments. Picture: Liam Kidston.

“More patients are visiting public hospitals than ever before and our Hospital and Health Services (HHS) continue to prioritise clinically safe care for patients who require treatment.

Like health systems across the world, Queensland has been impacted by a shortage of key medical specialists, an issue that has further affected planned care this year,” he said.

But Shadow Health Minister Ros Bates has called the growing waitlist a fatal list as people “die waiting”.

“Bowel cancer is the most easily detected and treatable cancer but only if patients can get to a gastroenterologist for a colonoscopy,” Ms Bates said.

“For nearly eight years the State Government has destroyed the health system. Our emergency departments are packed, waiting lists are getting longer, the waitlist-for-the-waitlist has reached alarming levels, bed block is back, ambulance bypass has returned and Queenslanders are dying waiting for an ambulance or a hospital bed,” she said.

Australian Medical Association Queensland chief Maria Boulton said she found the numbers shocking.

“We know that for every person waiting for elective surgery, there are many more waiting for their first appointment with a specialist to even get on the elective surgery waiting list.

One quick fix would be for the federal government to immediately lift its spending on public hospitals by five per cent. That would be about $1.5 billion for Queensland public hospitals each year and would pay for 1500 new beds and the staff needed for these beds,” she said

AMAQ President Maria Boulton. Picture Supplied

“The Queensland Government should also allow Queensland Health employees to work as locums in other hospitals and introduce statewide credentialing to make it easier for staff to work in different hospitals. This will help retain doctors and nurses and would deter doctors from going interstate for locum opportunities”

The Queensland government’s State Budget announced an investment of about $15m to support the delivery of long-term planned care recovery and tackle waiting lists.

From July 1 this year to the end of September, over 164,200 patients received their initial specialist outpatient appointment from the waitlist. In that period Queensland public hospitals have treated over 33,000 elective surgery referrals from the waitlist.