Logan, Redland hospitals worst in state for ramping

Ramping at Logan Hospital was the worst in the state. That was closely followed by Redland Hospital. Queensland Health blamed a spike in population and demand for hospital services. The state Opposition said it was due to a lack of funding.

An ambulance drives into Logan Hospital in January. Logan Hospital was the state’s worst for ramping but also had one of the highest growth rates in patient demand. AAP/Richard Walker

RAMPING at Logan Hospital was the worst in the state.

Queensland Health statistics for the year to December showed 40 per cent of patients at the Meadowbrook Hospital were forced to wait longer than the required 30 minutes for a bed.

That was unchanged over the year.

Redland Hospital had the next highest incidence of ramping with 37 per cent of patients forced to wait.

Ramping at Redland Hospital was up 5 per cent over the year. Pic Annette Dew

That was up 5 per cent since December 2017.

Even one of the state’s busiest hospitals, Royal Brisbane Women’s Hospital, only had 35 per cent ramping, which was up 9 per cent on the previous year.

State Opposition Health spokesman Ros Bates said the figures for both hospitals were alarming.

“Instead of more hospital beds and better patient care, this government’s priority has been wasting taxpayers money renaming the Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital,” Ms Bates said.

“Queensland’s public hospitals are bursting at the seams and ambulance ramping is rife.

“Our hardworking nurses, doctors, paramedics and midwives need more help on the frontline to improve patient care.”

Health Minister Steven Miles said he was tired of the LNP talking down the state’s hospitals and said there was a lot of work being carried out to keep waiting times down.

He said at Logan there was a program of rapid ward expansion pods and a $280 million expansion project, to help address the surge in demand and a spike in population.

Ambulances ramped at Logan Hospital in January

He said Logan treated 8000 patients in December 2018 — 11 per cent more compared to December 2017.

“Despite the huge increase in demand, the performance at Logan has remained steady which is thanks to the hardworking staff at the hospital and local paramedics,” he said.

“Across Queensland 35,800 people arriving via ambulance were off stretcher within 30 minutes.

“That’s almost 2200 more patients off-stretcher within 30 minutes, despite almost 5000 more ambulance arrivals than December 2017.”

A Logan spokesperson said the hospital had one of the state’s busiest Emergency Departments and along with an increase in demand, patients were arriving with more complex medical issues.

“While our hard-working ED staff treat all patients attending the emergency department, the department operates on a triage system in which the most critically ill patients are always treated first,” the spokesman said. “This can sometimes contribute to patients waiting longer than they, or we would like.”

The 30-minute target includes an ambulance parking at a hospital, the patient being moved to the triage area, triage by a specialised emergency nurse and transfer to a bed within the emergency department, before a full clinical handover between QAS and the ED clinical team.

Dismay about the figures was backed up by United Voice, the union for paramedics and ambulance officers.

United Voice Queensland Secretary Gary Bullock said an extra 250 paramedic and ambulance officer positions were needed.

“We don’t want any more buck passing,” he said.

“The State Government needs to step in and fund 250 more ambulance officer positions immediately to relieve this pressure and get our paramedics back out where they belong.”

Mr Bullock said the Federal Government had axed more than $1.6 billion in funding out of the health sector.

• State-wide, 24% (up 4% since Dec 2017)

• Cairns Hospital, 26% (up 12% since Dec 2017)

• Rockhampton Hospital, 18% (up 5% since Dec 2017)

• Toowoomba Hospital, 12% (up 4% since Dec 2017)

• Robina Hospital, 35% (up 10% since Dec 2017)

• Mackay Hospital, 20% (up 7% since Dec 2017)

• Caboolture Hospital, 31% (up 10% since Dec 2017)

• Redcliffe Hospital, 23% (up 7% since Dec 2017)

• RBWH, 35% (up 7% since Dec 2017)

• Prince Charles Hospital, 19% (up 4% since Dec 2017)

• Logan Hospital, 40% (unchanged) — WORST IN QUEENSLAND

• PA Hospital, 29% (up 10% since Dec 2017)

• QEII Hospital, 31% (up 3% since Dec 2017)

• Redland Hospital, 37% (up 5% since Dec 2017)

• Nambour Hospital, 22% (up 1% since Dec 2017)

• Ipswich Hospital, 27% (up 12% since Dec 2017)

*% is the number of patients NOT taken off an ambulance stretcher within the 30 minute target.

Source: http://www.performance.health.qld.gov.au/