The hospital crisis: how it impacts on the Gold Coast and when it will end

State parliament has heard extraordinary details about the crisis which is stretching Gold Coast hospitals to breaking point. But the government’s excuses caused uproar.

The Gold Coast University Hospital at Parkwood. Picture: Mike Batterham.

THE Palaszczuk Government cannot give a guarantee when the health crisis which is impacting on Gold Coast hospitals will end.

State Parliament today was told Coast hospitals were at capacity and facing a ten per cent surge in patient presentations.

The crisis which includes Brisbane’s major public hospitals extends south to Logan and through to the Tweed across the border.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk in State Parliament. Picture: AAP

SUBSCRIBE TO THE GOLD COAST BULLETIN - JUST $1 FOR THE FIRST 28 DAYS

The debate in Question Time was explosive as the LNP continued to target Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Health Minister Dr Steven Miles.

Speaker Curtis Pitt removed Dr Miles and rival Ros Bates, the Mudgeeraba MP, from the chamber after constant interjecting.

The Government response includes an immediate injection of $3 million on beds in private hospitals, and urging patients with less serious symptoms to visit their GP rather than the ED.

Ms Bates, the LNP’s health spokesperson, asked the Premier could she “advise on what date the current health crisis will be fixed”.

“If we had the support from the Federal Government tonight — tonight — I could move people out of hospitals and free up those beds tonight. That’s what could happen,” she told Ms Bates.

“Two hundred (beds) — why don’t you pick up the phone — I will be approaching the Federal Government for prioritising aged care assistance.”

The Government maintains there is no singular cause for the south-east’s hospitals being at capacity, but part of the blame is the longer, hot summer and its extended flu season.

Mudgeeraba MP and LNP front bencher Ros Bates at State Parliament.

MORE NEWS

Residents threatened by hoons in Coast suburb

Botox queen settles million-dollar court spat

New state-of-the-art theme park attraction revealed

Ms Palaszczuk under further questioning from the Opposition admitted she was first alerted to the health crisis yesterday afternoon.

“What we saw was an unprecedented demand,” she said.

Between March 1 to March 25, there has been a 12 per cent increase in triple-0 calls, she said.

Metro North, Royal Brisbane, the Women’s Hospital along with Princes Charles had experienced an eight per cent increase in presentations across those 25 days.

Gold Coast University was experiencing almost a 10 per cent spike for the same period and “this pressure is also over the border in the Tweed”.

Outside the Parliament, Ms Bates told The Bulletin: “Annastacia Palaszczuk’s latest health crisis is impacting Gold Coast patients. As a nurse it’s greatly concerning that both Gold Coast hospitals are bursting at the seams.

“Rather than blaming patients, it’s time Labor started to properly plan for the health services a growing state needs.

“Queenslanders were promised better local health services by Labor, not a hospital crisis.”

Ms Bates said Ms Palaszczuk could not name a date when the hospital overcrowding crisis was going to end.

Health Minister Steven Miles during Question Time at Parliament House. Picture: AAP

LNP Leader Deb Frecklington said the Government has reached a new low.

“There is a “no vacancy” sign on Queensland public hospitals thanks to Annastacia Palaszczuk and her embattled Health Minister Steven Miles,” she said.

“What we are seeing in South East Queensland today is nothing short of a national embarrassment. Instead of fixing our depleted health system, Labor is busy making up excuses.

“Annastacia Palaszczuk’s priorities are all wrong.

“She has wasted nearly half a million dollars of taxpayers’ money changing a hospital name in Brisbane, instead of fixing the health crisis.

“This is a direct result of poor planning, economic mismanagement and a Health Minister who is clearly out of his depth.

“The Premier should show real leadership and immediately sack Mr. Miles — for the sake of Queenslanders.”