Townsville Hospital wait times trigger political stoush between Labor, LNP

Figures have revealed “extraordinary wait times” at Townsville hospital including waits of up to almost eight hours. See the detail.

LNP Leader David Crisafulli said analysis revealed that two patients waited almost eight hours before their first contact with medical professionals at Townsville University Hospital in May and two patients waited more than five hours at TUH in June.

Figures revealing “extraordinary wait times” for some patients at Townsville University Hospital have triggered a war of words between the State Labor Government and LNP.

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli said analysis revealed that two patients waited almost eight hours before their first contact with medical professionals at TUH in May and two patients waited more than five hours in June.

Mr Crisafulli said emergency departments were at breaking point, elective surgery wait lists had soared and “front-line staff are working themselves to the brink of exhaustion”. Picture: John Gass

He said that after three terms in power the government had stopped listening to its constituents and “patients were paying the price for the Queensland Health Crisis”.

“Nobody should have to wait endless hours in the Emergency Department waiting room,” he said on Monday.

“This is another sign the State Government is losing control of Queensland Health.”

Mr Crisafulli said emergency departments were at breaking point, elective surgery wait lists had soared and “front-line staff are working themselves to the brink of exhaustion”.

“Patient care should always be the top priority, but the State Government is more interested in their political survival than patient survival,” he said.

“The LNP has put solutions on the table, including more beds, improving triaging, real-time data monitoring and giving power back to the local health boards instead of centralised decision-making out of Brisbane.”

Longest waits before care began in Townsville University Hospital in May and June: Source: LNP

The government, however, said it was not about to be lectured by the LNP after Shadow Health Minister Ros Bates labelled regional health workers “duds”.

“The LNP sacked thousands of health workers when in office and David Crisafulli, far from distancing himself from these cuts, sought to justify them.”

Minister for Health Yvette D'Ath in Townsville to announce the launch of Townsville University Hospital's equity strategy earlier this month. Picture: Shae Beplate.

A spokesman said the Palaszczuk Government was delivering record funding to Townsville HHS of $1.2 billion this financial year and TUH was one of the state’s best performing hospitals.

“The 2022-23 State Budget includes $530 million for a major expansion of TUH, which will create an extra 143 beds,” he said.

“Our investments in Townsville hospital have delivered a new paediatric ED, a new paediatric cardiology service and a refurbished acute mental health inpatient unit.”

The spokesman said the government was also expanding the state-wide Kidney Transplant Service to TUH.

“The LNP’s so-called four point plan is a complete sham – it has no new beds, no new staff, no new funding and no new ideas.”

Originally published as Townsville Hospital wait times trigger political stoush between Labor, LNP