CQ’s ED departments under extreme pressure from high patient demand

A Qld health district CEO has hit back at claims mental health patients are being sedated while waiting for beds in the inpatient unit.

Four ambulances parked outside the Emergency Department at the Rockhampton Hospital.

The Rockhampton and Gladstone hospital’s CEO has rejected claims mental health patients are being sedated while waiting for beds in the inpatient unit.

The allegations about patients being reclassified and stashed in short stay units to avoid emergency department performance breaches were reported in the Courier Mail today June 24, 2025 from evidence provided in a survey by the Nurses’ Professional Association of Queensland (NPAQ).

Lisa Blackler, Chief Executive, Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service, agreed that the ED departments were under pressure but she denied the sedation allegations.

“I absolutely refute the allegations that mental health patients are sedated while waiting for a bed in the inpatient unit,” she said in a statement.

“Sedation is only administered when a patient’s behaviour escalates to a point where it poses a risk to themselves, other patients, or staff. Even then, patients are placed under continuous monitoring to ensure their physical wellbeing and safety.

Four ambulances parked outside the Emergency Department at the Rockhampton Hospital.

“Mental health clinicians and medical officers work closely with the ED team to ensure these patients are regularly reviewed and getting the care they need while waiting.

“Staffing is always a challenge in regional areas, and to support recruitment of nursing staff we have launched a centralised campaign to focus on vacancies across all of our facilities and have recently partnered with nearby local councils to drive recruitment efforts.”

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli with Rockhampton MP Donna Kirkland during his visit to Rockhampton Hospital earlier this year.

She was concerned about allegations in the Courier Mail report that ED data had been misrepresented.

“I certainly do not endorse incorrect reporting of data in any instance,” she said.

“We recognise that Emergency Departments are not suitable for long-term care, and we have committed to reduce the number of patients spending more than 24 hours in an ED.

“Our Emergency Departments have been dealing with high demand, and our focus remains on getting patients through the ED and into the most suitable place for their care, be that at home, or in a hospital bed.”

She said the Mental Health Inpatient unit at Rockhampton was undergoing a $92m expansion to increase from 23 beds to 32.

She said the new unit was due to be complete by 2026 and would support patients from across Central Queensland and Central West.

Ms Blackler said long-term master planning was under way in Rockhampton, Gladstone and the Capricorn Coast to ensure healthcare infrastructure was “future-ready, sustainable and provides contemporary care to the community” (but it’s not been advised when that will be finalised).

She said the recently opened Rockhampton Orthopaedic Clinic had cleared space near the Emergency Department which to allow for expanded room.

She said that Gladstone Hospital had introduced a Transit Lounge to improve patient flow to optimise access to inpatient beds and streamline patients’ discharge.

Originally published as CQ’s ED departments under extreme pressure from high patient demand