‘Dump and run’ policy puts lives at risk: Opposition

A ‘dump and run’ emergency patient policy was putting lives at risk on ‘Palaszczuk’s Patio’ at Logan Hospital, according to the State Opposition.

A CONTROVERSIAL policy allowing ambulance officers to dump patients in hospital corridors on trolleys or stretchers has been questioned in State Parliament.

State Opposition Health spokeswoman Ros Bates said the practice, designed to be a temporary measure for the Commonwealth Games, put lives at risk.

Ms Bates said fed-up staff were labelling Logan Hospital’s nine ambulance offload bays as “Palaszczuk’s Patio”.

She made use of today’s Question Time to put the Premier on the spot after the unceremonious sacking of Queensland Health boss Stephen Ayre yesterday.

Mr Ayre was sacked after a massive 45 per cent increase in the number of patients with urgent and life-threatening conditions across Metro South Hospitals, where the rapid offload practice was being used.

Ms Bates said even Health Director-General Michael Walsh described Logan Hospital’s “rapid offload ambulance policy” as “clearly not a smooth process”.

SPIKE IN EMERGENCY PATIENTS

HOSPITALS UNDER THE PUMP

“One emergency department nurse told me there was not always collaboration between ambulance staff and emergency department staff,” Ms Bates said.

Dr Stephen Ayre, who was sacked as Chief Executive Metro South Health) and Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Steven Miles. Pic Mark Cranitch.

“During the Commonwealth Games and still today, extra Queensland Ambulance stretchers were purchased and many are still sitting on most hospital ramps.

“If Queensland Ambulance can’t offload, they leave the patient on a vacant stretcher and respond to the next job.

“It depends on the senior operations officer with the ambulance service if they leave a crew behind to watch the patient.”

Ms Palaszczuk said Health Minister Steven Miles was continuing to work with hospitals, emergency departments and paramedics and there were plans to expand the Logan, Ipswich, Caboolture, Kingaroy and Roma hospitals.

Logan Hospital, AAP/Richard Walker

More than 500 ambulance patients were left on stretchers in overcrowded emergency hallways at the five southside hospitals in March under the contentious “rapid offload” policy.

Most of those — 70 per cent, or 365 — were at Logan Hospital.

The practice led to Logan Hospital emergency department nurses telling paramedics this month to keep patients in ambulances rather than taking them inside.

In a statement, Minister Miles said the government was delivering a massive capacity expansion, which would provide 184 new beds at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital and 328 new beds between Logan and Caboolture hospitals.

“Our rapid expansion of Logan Hospital will be a jobs boom for the region, employing many more staff to deliver essential health services.

“Meanwhile, 15 new jobs are being supported by the new Caboolture Hospital Emergency Department which is currently under construction.”

Mr Miles said progress was going well on the new Adolescent Extended Treatment Centre at the Prince Charles Hospital.