'Population's outgrown the new hospital': Bates attacks

Former nurse and Shadow Health Minister Ros Bates has taken a swipe at Health Minister Dr Steven Miles during a visit to the Coast.

VISIT: (L-R) Caloundra MP Mark McArdle, Nicklin MP Marty Hunt and Shadow Health Minister Ros Bates at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital. Picture: Contributed

FORMER nurse and Shadow Health Minister Ros Bates has taken a swipe at Health Minister Dr Steven Miles during a visit to the Coast.

Ms Bates had been a registered nurse and hospital administrator for more than 35 years, and was a federal health lobbyist for a decade before becoming an MP.

She toured the Sunshine Coast University Hospital and Nambour General Hospital on Monday, along with Nicklin MP Marty Hunt and Caloundra MP Mark McArdle (above).

Ms Bates called out the State Government for "playing politics” with the Coast's health system.

She said local health services were "bursting at the seams” while 150 extra public beds had been delayed.

"The Nambour Hospital redevelopment is also three years late and should have been opened this year,” she said.

She called out the Government's own statistics which showed the extent of ambulance ramping and emergency wait times at both of the region's major hospital.

Ms Bates said the figures justified the need for more beds for Sunshine Coast residents now, not later.

"These are real people (waiting for treatment),” she said.

"The population's outgrown the hospital.”