Editorial: Damaging data you have a right to

Regular releases of health data stop governments from hiding the truth and are vital information you have a right to know about, writes the editor.

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman with Premier Steven Miles on Sunday. Picture: Richard Walker

The extent of Queensland’s hospital crisis is usually evident in the images of hospital ramping – long lines of ambulances parked at hospitals that lack the immediate capacity to admit the patients.

Which makes it all the more galling that as ramping has hit a record high, as revealed in The Sunday Mail, so too has the number of patients who literally can’t get out of hospital because of the failings of the system.

There were 964 long-stay patients across the state as of the end of February, the latest tranche of Queensland Health performance data revealed.

These are patients – many elderly – who have already been in hospital for at least 30 days and should have been discharged.

However, the lack of outpatient and aged care places mean they languish in hospital, taking up a bed that could be given to someone else.

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman quite rightly points to the $200m the government announced last November for “interim care beds” that has already seen 159 long-stay patients moved to a private facility where they are cared for by Queensland Health staff.

But despite that action being taken the fact a new record for long-stay patients has been set so shortly afterwards paints a clear picture of a health system lurching from crisis to crisis.

Ms Fentiman tried her best to find the positives, declaring that although there were indeed more long-stay patients in our hospitals, the number of days they were staying there on average was decreasing.

She also pointed out that aged care homes – where many long-stay patients are eventually moved – are a federal government responsibility.

And while being able to pass the buck might bring Ms Fentiman some political relief, it would be of absolutely no comfort to elderly Australians who are stuck in hospital because more suitable options can’t be found (or indeed to their families).

“We’re doing our bit with a $200m investment to move long-stay patients out,” Ms Fentiman said.

“We are getting them through more quickly, but they keep coming and the federal government needs to work with us to find solutions because a lot of this is about the capacity of our aged care sector.”

They keep coming, of course, because of our ageing population, something that should surprise no one but has not been properly planned for.

While Ms Fentiman has brought new energy to the role of Health Minister since replacing the defeated Yvette D’Ath, and her contrasting approach to her predecessor over the regular release of data should be applauded, the challenges she faces are taking their toll.

However, opposition health spokeswoman Ros Bates may have jumped the gun somewhat when she called for Ms Fentiman to be sacked, saying she was either “incompetent at her job” or not focused on improving the system.

This set of figures, while undoubtably damaging for the government, at least gives Queenslanders a complete picture of the efficiency of our health system and might even be used to inform decisions when requiring hospital care.

Regular releases of the same data sets stop governments from hiding the truth and are vital public information that you have a right to know about.

If occasionally it is damaging for a government or a minister, then so be it.

MAGIC WEEKEND IN BRISBANE

Brisbane’s massive weekend has vindicated the decision by the NRL to lock in the Magic Round feast of footy until at least 2027.

The city came alive in brilliant autumn weather, and not just in Caxton St, which for the first time was closed for the entirety of the event.

Restaurants and bars were packed as an estimated 50,000 people flocked to the Paniyiri Greek Festival at Musgrave Park and thousands more attended the Doomben 10,000, a rap concert and a monster truck spectacular.

For the 150,000 who attended Magic Round, and the 25,000 at the women’s State of Origin, Suncorp Stadium – the best rugby league venue in the world – was complemented by the entertainment options at its doorstep.

For many of the interstate guests it was their first visit to Brisbane. Surely it won’t be their last.

Caxton St traders said it was their biggest weekend ever, and praised Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner for closing the street.

We concur. It was a great initiative and should become a regular part of Magic Round, which, while we’re at it, should never move from Brisbane.

Responsibility for election comment is taken by Chris Jones, corner of Mayne Rd & Campbell St, Bowen Hills, Qld 4006. Printed and published by NEWSQUEENSLAND (ACN 009 661 778). Contact details here

Originally published as Editorial: Damaging data you have a right to