Queensland Health exemptions unit overstressed, slammed by Premier

The Queensland Premier has promised more workers will be added to the state’s exemption unit, after burnt out Queensland Health insiders revealed a backlog of urgent applications.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has promised more workers will be added to the state’s Covid border exemption unit, after burnt out Queensland Health insiders revealed a backlog of urgent applications.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday morning, where it was revealed that Queensland had recorded one new mystery case of Covid-19, Ms Palaszczuk confirmed that more staff would be allocated to the exemption unit over the weekend to ‘ramp up’ and respond to the thousand of people asking for exemption to come into Queensland.

“It is a matter for the health team but I believe we should be scaling that unit up to around 100 staff,” she said.

The Premier confirmed about 80 people were chiefly responsible for processing exemption allocations, but that the unit had the capacity to have about 120 staff.

“I have made it a priority and I have spoken to senior levels of the government about this issue,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

Burnt out Queensland Health insiders told The Courier-Mail urgent applications for an exemption to cross the border are backlogged with staff frequently turning down people despite their “heartbreaking” circumstances.

However, in the wake of mounting criticism over allowing sporting teams and their families into Queensland while sick children and displaced residents are locked out, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk demanded health bureaucrats do better.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk during a media conference in Brisbane on Thursday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

The Premier’s stunning broadside was launched after she was questioned about why Queensland Health refused to let a family stuck in Sydney with a desperately ill child quarantine at their remote home 250km west of Brisbane.

Jessie Evans, her partner Billy Blacker, and their four-month-old son Rocka, who suffers from Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 1 – the leading genetic cause of infant death – had undertaken treatment at Sydney Children’s Hospital and applied for permission to drive back home across the border.

Queensland Health officials told them they must fly home via Brisbane and quarantine in hotels and hospitals, despite charity group Angel Flight even offering to fly them to an airstrip near their home.

It was announced on Thursday night that an exemption had been granted for the family to quarantine together.

However Ms Evans has rejected to offer, saying it was in her son’s best interests that they be allowed to go home.

“We wouldn’t risk anything with Rocka, we’re not silly and nor are the doctors,” Ms Evans said, adding that the Queensland exemptions team had never examined her son.

Ms Palaszczuk earlier said the family’s situation was “heartbreaking” and declared Queensland Health’s exemption unit “needs to work a bit harder”.

“A senior clinician has reached out to the family – a resolution is being worked through with the family as quickly as possible,” the Premier said.

“It’s absolutely tragic and it should have been progressed faster.” 

When asked why many people only received responses when their exemption case was publicised in the media, Ms Palaszczuk said the unit was working through a significant number of applications.

Jessie Evans and Billy Blacker with their son Rocka, 4 months. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

“Queensland Health knows they need to do better and they will do better,” she said.

“I’ve spoken with the Health Minister and I’ve spoken with the director general and the director general is under no illusions – I expect there to be more done in this area.”

Ms Palaszczuk said there was already 80 people working in this unit and said more would be added if required.

The Queensland Health insider described the unit as a “sh-t show” where staff – mostly nurses and clinicians – were stressed and untrained in dealing with the regular heartbreak of refusing entry to hundreds of people.

“This was lump-in-the-throat-type work – I’ve been trained to help people and deliver bad news in the best way,” they said.

“Some of the cases are heartbreaking. People are angry and confused.”

Originally published as Queensland Health exemptions unit overstressed, slammed by Premier