Tweed patients overflowing into Gold Coast hospitals

MEDICAL staff say the patients of the at-capacity Tweed Hospital are flowing into the Gold Coast, as the out-dated facility struggles to keep up with demand.

Doctors and nurses are struggling to find beds for patients at Tweed Hospital. Picture: Jerad Williams

WHILE debate rages over the site of the new Tweed Valley Hospital, doctors and nurses at the coalface of the existing hospital are struggling to find beds for the sick.

The emergency department has been forced into bypass mode on several occasions in recent weeks, meaning ambulances carrying less critical patients are redirected to other hospitals in the region.

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Demountables have been built to help with increasing demand at the Tweed Hospital. Photo: Supplied.

Tweed Hospital Medical Staff co-chairman Mike Lindley-Jones, head of the intensive care unit, said the hospital remained permanently logjammed and staff were struggling to find beds to treat new patients.

Dr Lindley-Jones said the 220-bed hospital was permanently operating at over 100 per cent capacity.

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He said the situation was impacting services in Queensland, with patients having to be sent to the Robina and Gold Coast University hospitals.

“Our aim with the new hospital is to reverse those flows and allow patients from this area to be treated locally, rather than have to flow up to Robina or Gold Coast or sometimes even Brisbane,” Dr Lindley-Jones said. “We are on bypass on and off all the time.

The Tweed Hospital is struggling to keep up with the demand. Patients are being offloaded to Robina and Gold Coast University hospitals. Picture: Jerad Williams

“We would still take anyone who has a time-critical illness but we are very short of beds. It seems to be we are permanently full and logjammed and we can’t move patients in and out.”

While 12 new beds in “pop-up” facilities mid-year would be welcome, Dr Lindley-Jones said it was a “drop in the ocean” and a hospital double the size was needed.

“We are going to have to battle these issues for the next few years until the new hospital is built,” he said.

The NSW Government’s push to build a $500 million hospital on Cudgen Rd, Kingscliff, has divided the Tweed community. Those against the proposal, including the Tweed Shire Council, say the site is prime agricultural land. Others say the area badly needs new health services and the deal should be sealed.

Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)

Queensland Health Minster Steven Miles said the bottleneck on the Tweed was putting added pressure north of the border.

“There are no state boarders when it comes to health care. Queensland Hospitals will always provide the best possible care to patients, no matter where they live,” he said.

“Medical services at Tweed are bursting at the seams because of cuts to Medicare and aged care and after hours doctors, and that is overflowing in to Queensland’s hospitals.”

Wayne Jones , CEO of the Northern NSW Local Heath district, said health needs were being met as part of a group effort with other facilities.

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“Northern NSW Local Health District works closely with Queensland Health,” Mr Jones said. “Gold Coast University Hospital (GCUH) provides higher level clinical services and support to all hospitals in the NNSW LHD, including to the Tweed Hospital.

“These services include cardiology, neurosurgery, neurology and intensive care. This arrangement ensures patients have access to highly specialised services when required.”