Queensland Health says could take 12-months to address COVID-19 backlog of patients

A blowout in elective surgery and specialist outpatient appointments may see thousands of Gold Coasters face an extra year’s wait for medical treatment as a result of COVID-19.

A BLOWOUT in elective surgery and specialist outpatient appointments is expected to see thousands of Gold Coasters will potentially face an extra year’s wait for medical treatment.

During the height of the coronavirus pandemic Gold Coast Health, in line with National Cabinet directives, suspended most non-urgent Category 2 and 3 elective surgeries and Category 3 specialist outpatient appointments. It also stopped accepting new referrals for non-urgent patients.

OUTPATIENT APPOINTMENT CANCELLED AFTER 18 MONTHS OF WAITING

Lauren Stevens, of Canungra, had her ENT outpatient appointment cancelled at the height of coronavirus restrictions after waiting 18 months. She may face another long wait as hospitals struggle to address the backlog of patients. Picture Glenn Hampson

Since then thousands of Gold Coasters have not been referred for specialist appointments for a range of conditions including ear, nose and throat problems, gynaecological issues and ophthalmology concerns.

Before the coronavirus pandemic, Queensland Health (QH) recommended Category 1 urgent patients be seen by a specialist within 30 days of being added to the outpatient waitlist, for semi-urgent Category 2 patients the recommended time frame was within three months.

For non-urgent Category 3 patients it suggests they be seen by a specialist consultant within one year of going on the waitlist.

Last week it was announced from July 1 Gold Coast Health (GCH) will start to process the Category 3 outpatient appointment referrals that were cancelled in late March. It’s believed these could be in the thousands.

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Richard Misior with Gold Coast University Hospital staff after leaving intensive care following a 77-day battle with COVID-19 related pneumonia. Picture: Gold Coast Health.

These will be processed in the order of the date they were originally received, unless they are a higher clinical priority, so patients won’t lose their place in the queue.

To ensure people don’t fall through the gap, GPs have been asked to re-refer all patients who had their outpatient appointments cancelled during coronavirus restrictions.

Additionally, from August 1 GCH will start accepting new Category 3 outpatient referrals from GPs and any valid referrals received in July.

QH Director General John Wakefield told Gold Coast GPs the State Government had given an extra $250 million to provide care for patients whose “planned elective surgery, specialist outpatient appointment or gastrointestinal endoscopy was postponed due to impacts of COVID-19”.

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Queensland Health Director General John Wakefield. AAP Image/Dan Peled.

“The recovery approach will be focused on the clinical needs of patients, and it is expected to take up to 12 months for the Queensland Health system to address the backlog,” he said.

Dr Wakefield said he would engage with key primary and secondary care stakeholders to identify “new models of care to address this backlog”.

In regards to elective surgery, GCH has advised GPs “operating theatres at Gold Coast Health are working at capacity”, with Ramsey Care confirming John Flynn and Pindara Private Hospitals are helping with cataract surgery, hip and knee replacements, breast reconstructions, tonsillectomies and arthroscopies.

In April there were 7237 patients awaiting procedures across all categories in the Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service region.

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Pacific Pines mother Cassandra Henry has been waiting years to have elective surgery to get troublesome pelvic mesh removed and now it's been put off again she's not sure when it will happen. Picture: Jerad Williams

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Gold Coast Health confirmed Category 1 and 2 outpatient services continued throughout COVID-19 restrictions through a combination of in-person and virtual consultation, and in May it saw “more than 2600 people a day as outpatients”.

”However, we are facing significant social distancing challenges in our outpatient clinics.”