Townsville University Hospital: ED wait times spark clash between MPs

The opposition says people are waiting far too long in emergency departments, but the Health Minister says the LNP is twisting the truth. See the state our hospitals are in.

Opposition claims regarding waiting times at the Townsville University Hospital emergency department may have been based on an inaccurate interpretation of the data.

From February to May, inclusive, 98 people spent more than 24 hours in the Townsville University Hospital emergency department while 5841 patients across the state spent more than a day in emergency – an increase of more than 1000 patients compared to the previous four month period.

Shadow Health Minister Ros Bates painted the figures as people ‘waiting’ in EDs, but the data accounts for “being in the ED”, “going through” and “being treated” with the clock stopping when patients are discharged or sent to a hospital ward.

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman said the 24-hour figures included people in beds being treated until they were discharged or went to a hospital ward.

Shadow Health Minister Ros Bates was a nurse and nursing director before politics. Picture: Shae Beplate

“ … It is absolutely not fair to our amazing frontline staff that they (LNP) try and suggest that people are waiting for 24 hours in emergency,” she said.

Ms Fentiman said while emergency departments were under pressure the data revealed 100 per cent of category one patients – people in a life threatening state – were being seen within the two-minute guideline.

Townsville Hospital and Health Service chief executive Kieran Keyes says the hospital performs well in the time it takes getting people off stretchers. Picture: Daneka Hill

Townsville Hospital and Health Service chief executive Kieran Keyes said the median wait time for patients presenting to hospital was 14 minutes, during the February to May quarter.

The Townsville hospital was consistently at the top of the bracket in the state for patient off-stretcher times; 88.6 per cent of patients were out of the ambulance and off a stretcher within 30 minutes in that same three-month period, Mr Keyes said.

A person can ‘wait’ in ED before being admitted to another ward because they’re waiting for tests, scans or receiving urgent care.

Ms Bates said it was detrimental for patients to be in ED for 24 hours.

“Emergency departments aren’t waiting bays. Hospital corridors aren’t treatment rooms,” she said.

“The State Government has failed to properly plan, resource and run our health system since they took power eight years ago,” Ms Bates said.

Queensland Health Minister Shannon Fentiman says the LNP is twisting data. Picture: Brendan Radke

Ms Bates said she thanked, respected and valued frontline staff.

“Queenslanders deserve to know how their local hospital is performing,” the Shadow Minister said.

Originally published as Townsville University Hospital: ED wait times spark clash between MPs