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Queensland hospitals in crisis under Labor

2nd May 2019

The chronic dysfunction in Queensland’s public health system has been laid bare in a damning indictment of Labor failures putting patient health at risk.

The LNP moved a motion in Parliament today condemning the Palaszczuk Labor Government's health crisis for undermining confidence in Queensland's public health system.

LNP Shadow Health Minister Ros Bates said the recent overcrowding crisis and the sensational sacking of the Labor-appointed CEO of Metro South HHS were among a series of disastrous failures.

“Ambulance ramping is up, bed numbers are down, and code yellows are the norm in Queensland hospitals,” Ms Bates said.

“We’ve had just over four years of failed Labor health policies and what we are seeing now is the result.

“It has been a series of broken promises, crisis management and political scandals.

“When it comes to health, Labor’s priorities are all wrong.

“Steven Miles has proven he's fraud, a phoney, and a failure, and Annastacia Palaszczuk should sack him now.

“As a nurse, I know our hard-working nurses, doctors, midwives and paramedics are struggling on the frontline to improve patient care.

“It’s time for patient care to come first and that means fixing Queensland’s health crisis under Labor.

“Unlike Labor, we won’t waste time and taxpayers’ money tearing down hospital names.

“The LNP will bring back competent management of our health system.”

Private Members’ Motion by Mudgeeraba MP and Shadow Health Minister Ros Bates:

1) Condemns the Palaszczuk Labor government's health crisis for undermining confidence in Queensland's public health system;

2) Notes:
(a) The recent unprecedented overcrowding crisis which has seen patients turned away and left untreated;
(b) That it has taken only four years for Queensland Health to be taken back to the bad old days of dysfunction;
(c) Doctors have said that Queensland Health is in crisis;
(d) The Queensland Nurses and Midwives Union has said Queensland Health is in crisis;
(e) Nambour GP and AMA Councillor Dr Wayne Herdy issued a public plea to save one of his patients who was at risk of death;
(f) A young mum suffering from endometriosis was kicked out of her bed and discharged, still in excruciating pain; 1 May 2019 Questions Without Notice 1309 006
(g) The Australasian College of Emergency Medicine warned about unacceptable and intolerable delays, calling Queensland Health's emergency wait times 'inhumane';
(h) The Australian Medical Association Queensland called on the Palaszczuk Government to urgently stop the digital hospital IT rollout because patient safety was at risk;
(i) The United Voice union has said Labor's rapid offload policy is putting lives at risk;
(j) The sensational sacking of the Labor appointed CEO of Metro South HHS;

3) Calls on the Palaszczuk Labor government to implement real-time public reporting every time a 'code yellow' is declared so that sick Queenslanders can have confidence that when they turn up to a hospital, there will be a bed; and

4) Expresses no confidence in Labor's Health Minister.