Hospitals full ahead of Queensland border opening
Qld doctors warn overcrowded system at breaking point, even before influx of travellers from Covid-hit states.
Bed shortage emergencies were declared 19 times in Queensland’s overcrowded public hospitals last month as doctors warn the system is at breaking point ahead of an influx of travellers from Covid-hit states when the border opens.
Figures obtained by The Australian reveal capacity code yellow alarms – when a hospital is full and cannot meet public demand – were sounded almost 20 times last month, mostly in regional parts of the state.
Six capacity-driven code yellows, which triggers the discharge of non-critical patients and ambulance diversions, were declared at Wide Bay, north of Brisbane, four in Central Queensland and three in Townsville.
Kim Hansen, a senior Brisbane emergency physician, said hospital staff were exhausted and worried about the impending surge of demand when quarantine requirements are scrapped for interstate arrivals from 1am on Monday.
“After so long, we are still yet to face our greatest challenge,” said Dr Hansen, who chairs the Australian Medical Association Queensland’s Ramping Roundtable. “There are not enough beds and there are not enough staff, it is as simple as that.”
Dr Hansen said hospitals should be operating at 90 per cent capacity to allow for surges and an extra 1500 beds were needed immediately to meet demand. She said 600 beds would be available on wards if places freed up in aged care homes.
Incoming chief health officer John Gerrard, who starts on Monday, said there was enough room in hospitals to deal with the Covid surge. “We’ve been planning for this for two years so there is the capacity to make way for extra patients,” he said.
As of Friday evening, 80.6 per cent of the Queensland population older than 16 have had two doses of the vaccine.
By Christmas, the vaccine will be mandatory for all police, public and private health workers, aged-care and hospitality staff. Teachers must be double-dosed before school returns in 2022.
Six people tested positive on the Gold Coast on Friday, and had been infectious in the community. Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said they were from four separate incursions of the virus.
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