- Latest quarterly data shows 584,431 people presented to Queensland emergency departments in three-month period – the highest recorded amounts in the state’s history
- The data shows improvements in emergency department times, elective surgery waitlists and specialist outpatient appointments
- Palaszczuk Government’s Putting Patients First plan is working to bring numbers down even further
New health data released today shows that emergency departments across the state are seeing increasing demand, with more than 584,400 presentations in the most recent quarter. This is 9,000 more people than the same quarter last year.
Despite a more than 12 per cent increase in Category 1 presentations, 100 per cent of those patients were seen immediately.
In addition, more than 70 per cent of patients were seen within the clinically recommended timeframes when they came to the emergency department. This is a 9.3 per cent improvement on the same quarter last year.
We have also seen improved elective surgery performance across the state.
More than 36,000 Queenslanders underwent elective surgery in public hospitals in the June quarter – almost 4,000 more than in the same period last year.
Of the elective surgeries performed, 14,613 were for category 1 patients, who are the most urgent. This is eight per cent more than in the same quarter last year.
This hard work has seen the elective surgery long wait list come down by almost 20 per cent – that’s 1,507 more Queenslanders who have received the care they need and come off the long wait list.
In the last quarter, 177,338 patients received their first specialist outpatient appointment.
Of these patients, two thirds received their care within clinically recommended timeframes, with 75 per cent of Category 1 patients meeting those timeframes.
This quarter’s data release has been published on an updated, new-look website.
Quotes attributable to the Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Shannon Fentiman:
“Our health system is making improvements but there is still more work to do.
“A 12 per cent increase in the elective surgeries performed is excellent progress.
“Our hospitals are performing more surgeries for specialties including neurology, orthopaedics, gynaecology, ear nose and throat, and ophthalmology.
“The data shows that 78.5 per cent of elective surgery patients were treated on time – a 2 per cent improvement on the March quarter.
“Our EDs recorded over 10,500 more presentations than they did in the same quarter last year.
“This growth is continuing to place a strain on our ambulance service, with patient off stretcher times (POST) steady, at 55 per cent. This is similar to previous quarters, and I have been very clear that this is a number I want to see come down.
“Queensland Ambulance Service remains the best and only free ambulance service in the country.
“Together, our wonderful hospital staff and paramedics once again made sure our sickest patients were seen immediately – they saved thousands of lives and I thank them for their tireless efforts.
“In addition, the median wait time at our Emergency Departments was 17 minutes. This is two minutes better than the same time last year, and two minutes better than when the LNP were last in Government.
“Steep population growth and a shortage of GPs has meant more people are turning up to Queensland hospitals. That’s why the Palaszczuk Government is investing in more staff and more care closer to home, through our 7 SEQ Satellite Hospitals.
“I can assure Queenslanders that we are committed to reducing ramping and easing pressures on the health system.
“These numbers are up to June, which is before we introduced Our Putting Patients First plan.
“Through our plan, we are investing $764 million to keep Queenslanders out of hospital by providing alternatives to emergency departments and supercharge virtual care.
“It is bolstering our frontline health workforce and strengthening the Queensland Ambulance Service. It is delivering more beds and delivering major hospital upgrades and expansions so we can meet the needs of our growing population.
