QLD Health rejects Bennett claims of financial mismanagement

QLD Health has rejected ‘false’ claims from LNP MP Stephen Bennett of financial mismanagement and underperformance for the Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service.

Queensland Health has rejected claims by Burnett LNP MP Stephen Bennett that Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service finances are out of control following the 2023-24 state budget.

Queensland Health has rejected claims by Burnett LNP MP Stephen Bennett that Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service finances are “out of control” following the 2023-24 state budget.

In a statement released ahead of the parliamentary sitting on Thursday, Mr Bennett said the parliamentary budget papers revealed a blowout in WBHHS expenses for 2022-23.

Queensland Health budget papers report costs for services delivered by WBHHS 2022-23 exceeded funding for that year by more than $18million, with the service reporting a total deficit of more than $36million.

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“You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to work out that their expenses far out way (sic) their income by multiple millions,” Mr Bennett said.

“The WBHHS finances are clearly out of control and there is no funding in this budget to fix it.”

Mr Bennett also claimed the budget was “full of smoke and mirrors” in allocating 95 per cent of the Queensland Health budget beyond 2023-24.

The claim that $9.25bn from the 2023-24 Queensland Health budget was being pushed out beyond the next state election was also voiced by six LNP members in Thursday’s parliamentary sitting, in a co-ordinated attack on the government’s ability to manage the beleaguered health department.

A Queensland Health spokesman said the additional expenses were increased medical, equipment and labour costs for health services related to the Covid pandemic.

Queensland Health said the blowout in costs for WBHHS was due to additional expenses related to the Covid pandemic.

“The heath response to the Covid-19 pandemic placed incredible financial pressure on the health system due to increased medical, equipment and labour costs,” the spokesman said.

“Cost pressures related to the Covid-19 pandemic are expected to subside over the 2023-24 period.”

Queensland Health rejected the LNP’s claim as “misinformation”, saying that in fact it is 95 per cent of the budget for the government’s Capacity Expansion Program that will be spent beyond 2023-24.

The CEP includes large infrastructure projects including the New Bundaberg Hospital, currently scheduled for completion in 2027.

“Large-scale and advanced health infrastructure projects, like hospitals, are completed over multiple years, which is why funding is allocated accordingly,” a Queensland Health spokesman said.

“This is because there are lower spends at the beginning of a project due to planning and preliminary works, with most of the budget spent when construction begins.”

The Capacity Expansion Program includes large infrastructure projects including the New Bundaberg Hospital, scheduled for completion in 2027.

Mr Bennett also described as “appalling” the service standards for WBHHS, with budget papers reporting that 72 per cent of category 1 outpatients were seen within clinically recommended times.

“That means that cancer patients referred for urgent consultation have a 7 in 10 chance of being seen in time,” Mr Bennett said.

“The longer these patients wait, the lower their chances of survival.”

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A WBHHS rejected Mr Bennet’s claim of delays experienced by cancer patients.

“WBHHS cancer services currently sees 100 per cent of patients requiring oncology treatment within the clinically recommended time frame,” the spokesman said.

“These patients with diagnosed cancer are being seen on time and any claim to the contrary is false.”

Originally published as QLD Health rejects Bennett claims of financial mismanagement