Queensland health crisis: No doctors, less nursing staff than a decade ago

Government data has revealed Queensland towns have no doctor in their local hospital and many bush facilities have fewer doctors or nurses than they did 18 years ago.

POPULATIONS of Queensland towns have no dedicated doctor in their local hospital and the majority of bush facilities are operating with fewer doctors or nurses than they did 18 years ago, government payroll data shows.

The “disturbing” extent of the regional health workforce crisis is exposed in the Queensland government’s Hospital Performance website which compares workforce from June 2023 to 2005.

A Sunday Mail analysis shows the startling decline in health care with 36 inpatient hospitals now running with fewer medical professionals than a generation ago, a situation the Australian Medical Association chief has labelled “truly disturbing”.

“That some hospitals may not have not had a single doctor for the past 18 years means there are towns with an entire generation that has grown up without access to full hospital care,” AMAQ chief Maria Boulton said.

AMAQ President Dr Maria Boulton.

Despite the numbers on the government website, Health Minister Shannon Fentiman argues the data does not necessarily reflect staffing at hospitals due to hospital and health service (HHS) rotations, locums and agency staff.

Ms Fentiman acknowledges a workforce shortage but denies any Queensland hospital is operating without a doctor.

“I have made workforce one of my top priorities and have already announced our Workforce Attraction Incentive Scheme, the John Flynn Prevocational Doctor Program, incentives for doctors to take up careers as rural generalists and funding for 20 GPs in regional, rural and remote areas to complete advanced obstetrics training, to help grow our regional medical workforce,” she said.

“It is important that we continue working with the federal government to address these national challenges.

“We have recently secured for the first time regional undergraduate medical student placements in central Queensland and Wide Bay.

The Blackwater Hospital.

“I have also written to the federal health minister asking for hundreds more medical student placements for Queensland.”

The data shows Blackwater Hospital does not have a doctor, down 100 per cent since 2005, and fewer nurses, despite having 24-hour emergency, acute inpatient services and palliative care.

Moranbah has no doctor, also a drop of 100 per cent since 2005 and has now fewer nurses.

The hospital offers emergency, chronic inpatient, aged care, respite and palliative care.

Quilpie Hospital has no doctor, another 100 per cent drop since 2005 and fewer nurses.

The facility offers general medicine, surgical and emergency and outpatients.

“It is only because of the dedication and altruism of the healthcare workers in these towns that these hospitals continue to function at all. In rural areas there are no alternatives for people. If a hospital is closed, people have to travel long distances for care,” Dr Boulton said.

The AMAQ said many of the hospitals with reduced staff would be relying on GPs to pick up the slack.

The government insists locums are on hand but is it well recorded that the locum pool for regional and rural Queensland is fast drying up and lucrative pay deals are failing to attract enough medics.

“We commend the state government for its financial incentives to attract doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers from interstate and overseas but we would like to see them extended to private practice including GPs and pharmacists, not just Queensland Health workers,” Dr Boulton said.

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman visits the Gold Coast University Hospital.

“But we need a comprehensive health workforce strategy that covers public hospitals, private hospitals, nursing homes, NDIS workers, GPs, pharmacists and other allied healthcare workers.”

Rural Doctors Association Queensland president Alex Dunn said community and hospital care was essential, however the recruitment and retention of a workforce in rural and regional Queensland continued to be a challenge.

“We are calling for prioritised training, support and equity in remuneration to see more general practitioners and rural generalists live and work in the bush,” he said.

“When patients can access medical advice early and close to home, it helps keep them well and out of hospital, taking pressure off rural and regional hospitals.

“Being a rural doctor is a challenging and rewarding career path and one that is vital to keeping Queenslanders healthy.”

Shadow Health Minister Ros Bates told The Sunday Mail having a doctor in a local hospital should be the bare minimum.

Shadow Health Minister Ros Bates in Townsville for the 30th Queensland Health Crisis Town Hall. Picture: Shae Beplate.

“Queenslanders shouldn’t be facing fewer health services than decades ago,” she said.

“It shouldn’t be too much to ask the Palaszczuk government to resource our hospitals, it should be the bare minimum to have a doctor at the local hospital but now Queenslanders in many rural and remote communities don’t even have that.

“These revelations should be a startling wake-up call.

“This government needs to act urgently to reverse this trend of declining healthcare services in the bush.

“We can’t be relying on GPs to plug the gaps when their services are already in such high demand in our regional communities.”