Prevention is best medicine for Queensland’s hospital crisis

A major report assessing Queensland’s under-pressure health system says more funding should be spent on preventive care after finding a large number of hospital admissions were ‘avoidable’.

A major new health report says demand for Queensland hospital services is “unsustainable” and recommends sweeping changes including increased “virtual care” and less “low value” surgery to help cut waiting lists.

Other recommendations include rewarding local health services with extra funding for measures that prevent serious health problems in the first place.

It comes after Queensland recorded 10 more Covid deaths and 4919 new cases, with more than 400 people in hospital including 31 in ICU.

The report follows an investigation headed by former ACT Health Minister Meegan Fitzharris into how the under-pressure health system can be improved based on learnings from Queensland’s Covid-19 response.

It found that demand for hospital services was increasing at an unsustainable rate, with many hospital admissions “avoidable” through preventive care and early disease management.

Minister for Health Yvette D'Ath said the government would consider the recommendations. Picture: Adam Head

The report says there is ‘significant opportunity to reshape and boost public health’ through improved education around smoking, alcohol consumption, diet and exercise.

It recommends the Hospital and Health Boards Act be amended to make local health services legally responsible for preventing health problems, and says there should also be funding incentives.

Telehealth consultations should also be ramped up with the aim of using them for up to 70 per cent of non-admitted patients, according to the report.

It recommends reducing “low value” elective surgery with “no or very little benefits to patients’ and prioritising access for the vulnerable, especially indigenous people.

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said the government would consult with stakeholders on the report’s 17 recommendations.

“We want to capitalise on the successful initiatives undertaken during the COVID-19 pandemic to create an even better health system for all Queenslanders,” she said.

Announcing the state’s latest Covid figures on Saturday, chief health officer John Gerrard said the Omicron crisis was stabilising and cases would plateau in the coming days or weeks.

“In terms of the impact on hospitals, that’s certainly coming well under control,’ he said.

Dr Gerrard said any changes to Covid restrictions would not be announced before next week but “we’re moving forwards not backwards”.

“This is as good as we would have expected,” he said.

“The number of hospitalisations and intensive care admissions we’ve had are far fewer than we expected.”

Originally published as Prevention is best medicine for Queensland’s hospital crisis