Our Central Queensland (CQ) hospitals have had a busy June quarter – with more than 37,500 patient presentations to our emergency departments.
The Rockhampton Base Hospital alone had more than 13,300 of the total emergency department presentations through their doors.
Despite this high demand across our health system, 72 per cent of patients across Central Queensland were seen within clinically recommended times.
This is a testament to the dedication and commitment our front-line health staff have towards providing their patients with the best care possible.
CQ Health hospitals treated 1,010 elective surgery patients in the June quarter, which is up from 929 in the previous quarter.
696 of these elective surgery procedures were performed in Rockhampton.
Our hospitals provide some of the best healthcare in the world and we know they are under increasing pressure due to population growth.
That’s why our latest budget invests in our Putting Patients First Plan.
The Putting Patients First Plan invests in frontline services and staff to directly address ambulance ramping and emergency department pressures.
The investments will focus on keeping Queenslanders out of hospitals, providing alternative options for emergent care, supercharging our virtual care models, delivering more ambulances, investing in frontline health workers, and delivering more hospital beds.
This includes expanding the Mental Health Co-Responder Model to CQ.
Under this innovative model of care, mental health clinicians travel with senior paramedics to mental health callouts and can provide appropriate treatment or referrals to suitable services away from the hospital.
I’m proud of our record on health.
Since 2015, we’ve hired 640 extra frontline health staff in Central Queensland.
This includes 121 doctors, 435 nurses and midwives, and 26 ambulance officers.
Meanwhile, the LNP sacked 197 health staff, including 41 nurses.
The Palaszczuk Government is committed to investing in CQ health.
Our latest budget invests 73 per cent more than the LNP did when they were last in government.
I’m also proud we’re delivering a new Cardiac Hybrid Theatre at Rockhampton Hospital.
This facility will deliver pacemakers, angiograms, and percutaneous coronary investigations for people throughout the Rockhampton region.
It will save approximately 1,500 people from having to drive down to Brisbane for care each year.
The new theatre will improve safety and health outcomes for each of these patients by reducing wait times and removing the impact of travel for vital health care.
Our latest Budget is also delivering investment for the Rockhampton Mental Wellbeing Safe Haven.
This facility will further strengthen the health and resilience of our community.
It will provide a shared space for people experiencing mental health challenges to get the support that they need.
