Townsville University Hospital: Surge in emergency surgeries leaves elective procedures delayed, patients in agony

The Townsville University Hospital finds itself grappling with a surge in emergency surgeries, leaving some patients languishing in pain and fasting for over a week as they await long-delayed elective procedures.

A Townsville mum was left starving and in pain for four days awaiting an one-hour operation that was continuously bumped down the queue. Picture: Getty

The Townsville University Hospital finds itself grappling with a spike in emergency surgeries, leaving some patients languishing in pain and fasting for over a week as they await long-delayed elective procedures.

A mum of four, known by the pseudonym Jessica to preserve her anonymity, said she spent most of last week confined to a hospital bed, fasting and grappling with excruciating pain caused by a gallstone lodged in her common bile duct.

She had been fasting since Monday when her operation was first scheduled, only to be repeatedly cancelled due to emergency surgeries.

After four days of this, she finally went into surgery on Friday afternoon.

It comes as Townsville University Hospital recently saw a 10 per cent spike in emergency surgery numbers — performing 3,190 between September 2023 and February 2024.

During this time, the hospital also performed 4,761 elective surgery procedures.

Townsville University Hospital has seen a spike in emergency surgery numbers. PICTURE: MATT TAYLOR.

Jessica said she didn’t blame her surgery delays on hospital staff but said it highlights a “serious concern” that they appear to be seriously under-resourced.

“I wasn’t the only one who had been cancelled; another young girl in the planned procedure unit had been cancelled seven days in a row for an urgent surgery,” she said.

“There were just so many people I met while I was there who had been pushed back and were inadvertently beginning to suffer from poor mental health.

“You’re in pain. You’re isolated and stuck in hospital.

“You don’t know when the light at the end of the tunnel is coming.”

Dr Alan Wallace said he believed Jessica’s plight was “symptomatic of a sick health system.”

Her frustrated GP Alan Wallace said what happened to Jessica was “inhuman”.

But he said the problem wasn’t the fault of the Townsville hospital staff but rather a lack of political will by the Queensland Government to adequately resource the health system.

Townsville Hospital and Health Service chief executive Kieran Keyes acknowledged the burden that procedure delays place on patients and their families.

“We prioritise the most acutely unwell patients for emergency care and elective waitlists and continue to manage high demand on our inpatient and emergency departments,” he said.

Townsville Hospital and Health Service executive officer Kieran Keyes. Picture: Evan Morgan

“Townsville Hospital and Health Service, like health services across the world, is experiencing a range of pressures, including workforce recruitment challenges and increased demand from the community.

“Our population is growing and ageing, and we know there is need for our health service to expand to meet the needs of the community.”

He said the hospital was undergoing a $530m expansion and actively recruiting staff across medical, nursing and allied health, both locally and abroad. 

Originally published as Townsville University Hospital: Surge in emergency surgeries leaves elective procedures delayed, patients in agony