Qld health system now on life support

The Miles Government has admited hospitals are ‘under pressure’ amid widespread criticism. It comes as Queenslanders’ faith in the state’s health sector plunges dramatically. SURVEY RESULTS

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Miles Government senior minister Grace Grace admits the state’s health system is “under pressure” while defending the under-fire satellite hospitals and the sacking of an experienced nurse amid a health worker crisis two years after she refused to get the Covid-19 vaccine.

Grace Grace was speaking after The Courier-Mail’s latest sentiment survey revealed 72 percent of Queenslanders had lost faith in the health system.

The damning result came amid criticism of the government’s much-hyped new satellite hospitals which were designed to ease the strain on emergency departments but which have been slammed by patients for long waiting times, under-pressure staff and misdiagnosis.

The Australian Medical Association of Queensland says even GPs are confused about what services are on offer at the seven multi-million dollar satellite hospitals being opened across the southeast.

Speaking on the Gold Coast on Saturday, Ms Grace said Queensland had a “world-class” health system but “we acknowledge it is under pressure”.

Qld’s satellite hospitals have copped criticism.

She said health systems across Australia and the world were under pressure but Queensland was investing “record amounts” in health infrastructure.

Asked why performance data for satellite hospitals was not being released, Ms Grace said it was something Health Minister Shannon Fentiman - who is currently on leave - “obviously will address”.

“They (satellite hospitals) are only fairly new at the moment and they’ve been successful,” she said.

“We may have had a handful of people who may have needed to get further assistance but at the end of the day, we have brought clinical services where you don’t have to go to an emergency department, closer to your home.

“With these satellite hospitals, thousands of people are getting assistance. We’re going to assess how successful (they are) and how they’re operating, and if data can be released, it will be released to the public - no problems at all.

“These are fantastic additional facilities to our hospitals, we are very proud of them.”

Ms Grace said there were “specific circumstances” in the case of registered nurse Ella King who was terminated from her job at the Queensland Children’s Hospital at Christmas, more than two years after failing to comply with the government’s Covid vaccine mandate which has since been lifted.

Former Registered Nurse Ella King outside Queensland Children's Hospital in South Brisbane after she was terminated. Picture: Richard Walker

Ms King has slammed the decision in the middle of a health worker shortage crisis.

Ms Grace said she was unable to say much due to privacy reasons “but I think there’s more to this individual case (than meets the eye)”.

“I think this has got specific circumstances,” she said.

“It’s very hard to comment on an individual case, but I think there’s more to this case in relation to this.

“We are doing all that we can to attract health workers but quite clearly, when directions are given, we expect them to be followed.”

It comes as Queenslanders’ faith in the state’s health sector has dramatically plummeted since the last election, with fewer than 1 in 5 people saying they have confidence in the system.

With the health system plagued by high-profile issues such as ambulance ramping, rural maternity services and a serious workforce shortage, The Courier-Mail’s sentiment survey – completed by more than 6800 people across Queensland – has revealed more than 72 per cent of the state’s residents have lost faith.

Just 16 per cent professed their confidence for the state’s health sector, while a further 12 per cent were “unsure”.

The bombshell result marks a stark collapse from The Courier-Mail’s previous 2020 survey, when more than half of Queenslanders surveyed said they had faith in the state’s health system.

Australian Medical Association Queensland President Dr Maria Boulton said it was a “a concern but no surprise” Queenslanders were losing faith in the health system, pointing the finger at a cracked system facing ever-increasing strain.

“The system was already under pressure before Covid. The pandemic has only highlighted the cracks and increased the strain,” she said.

“We’re seeing ambulance ramping at record levels. We’re seeing general practices close their doors because Medicare rebates have not kept up with the rising costs in providing healthcare. We’ve seen maternity units go on bypass, forcing families to make dangerous drives on busy highways to get to the next hospital.

“The only thing keeping the system going is the dedication and altruism of our medical professionals and healthcare workers, who put themselves in physical danger to care for Covid cases and worked extraordinary hours when their colleagues fell ill or had to isolate.”

With Health Minister Shannon Fentiman currently on leave, a spokeswoman said the state government was leaving “no stone unturned when it comes to ensuring Queenslanders receive the best possible care, closer to home”.

“There is strong evidence showing that Queensland’s public health system ranks among the best in the nation and I want to thank our dedicated and hardworking frontline clinicians who work hard every day caring for others and easing the pressure on our health system” she said.

“We treat more elective surgery patients on time than any other state or territory and patients admitted to our hospitals for treatment are getting home quicker.

“But continuous improvement remains our driving force, as demonstrated by our record investment in healthcare initiatives, workforce and infrastructure.”

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman. Picture: Patrick Woods.

The government also pointed a number of initiatives which had been introduced, including fee-free TAFE to attract healthcare workers, $16 million invested into midwifery-led models of care in regional and rural Queensland, publicly funding home births and $1.6bn for mental health services.

The survey also found Queenslanders were increasingly concerned about a lack of health resources in rural and regional areas.

More than 90 per cent of those questioned said the state government needed to be doing more to attract health staff to areas outside the southeast – a sentiment echoed by Dr Boulton, who said it must be the “number 1 focus” of new Premier Steven Miles.

“The new Premier is a former health minister. He must keep engaging with us to listen to the issues,” she said.

“We saw some action after our ramping roundtable, with 2500 new hospital beds to come online in coming years, but we needed them yesterday. (The Premier) has to support our current workforce first and foremost and train and recruit more.

“The $70,000 incentives for international and interstate healthcare workers to relocate to regional areas must be expanded beyond Queensland Health staff, to attract GPs and other primary care workers to our regions.”

The LNP, who have been increasingly vocal on the issue of health, seized on the results and said it was evidence of a failure to plan by the Labor government.

“Queenslanders know the health crisis isn’t the fault of our hardworking doctors, nurses, paramedics and allied health professionals,” LNP health spokeswoman Ros Bates said.

“Labor has never understood the enormity of the Queensland health crisis, despite being in office for nearly nine years.

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

Ms Bates said should the LNP be successful at the October election, the investment focus would be on better resources, better triaging, sharing data in real-time and putting doctors and nurses back in charge to improve patient care.

Former nurse Jennifer McGinnigle with her husband Keith and children Bohdi, 4, and Blake, 3. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

Former Queensland Children’s Hospital oncology nurse Jennifer McGinnigle said staff shortages were a continuous issue in the health sector.

“Being a nurse for seven years and working at the children’s hospital I’ve seen how understaffed it is, and the stress it has on us nurses and also the families” she said.

“I can understand it from the other point of view, when we’ve been an inpatient with the hospitals with our kids.”

But Ms McGinnigle said despite living in Thorneside, they would rather go to the Queensland Children’s Hospital instead of the Redland Hospital.

“It just comes down to lack of expertise and facilities,” she said.

Partner Keith McGinnigle said the solution came down to funding for the hospitals.

“If they can’t get the funding to hire a nurse then they can’t offer more jobs,” he said. “If you can bring more staff on, you can allow more to come through.”