HEALTH MINISTER PUTS WAR ON WASTE ON AGENDA - Australian Medical Association Queensland

AMA Queensland today said it will hold fire for now on its campaign to name and shame waste in the state’s health system until after a meeting with the Health Minister and Director-General of Queensland Health.

AMA Queensland President Dr Mason Stevenson said both the Health Minister and Director-General have agreed to put all the issues AMA Queensland want addressed on the table for discussion at a meeting in mid-February.

“The wastage is widespread and patients are suffering due to delays and inefficiencies. The fact no one can pinpoint how much is actually thrown away is evidence of a system in turmoil,” Dr Stevenson said.

“I am glad the Health Minister and Director-General have agreed to discuss our concerns but we need answers followed by actions, not debates and endless talking."

The following questions have been asked of Queensland Health:

• In the previous decade how much Queensland Health hospital space has been dedicated to bureaucratic offices? For example, how many former wards, doctor’s common rooms etc in public hospitals have now been turned into bureaucratic offices?

• When was the last time Queensland Health did a health plan for high growth areas such as the Western Corridor, Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast and what is that plan?

• Will Queensland Health put a moratorium on hiring more bureaucrats in 2010?

• How many beds in Queensland hospitals are taken up by aged care patients?

• Why won’t Queensland Health decentralise its bureaucracy out of Charlotte Street into regional areas as strongly recommended in the Forster Report of 2005?

• What is Queensland Health doing to encourage doctors to relocate to regional Queensland and/or provide outreach services?

• What is being done to increase specialist vocational training places in all of Queensland’s hospitals?

• What is being done to reduce the enormous and escalating waiting list to go on the official waiting list to attend specialist outpatient departments?

• How many new beds will be created after spending $6.1 billion on health infrastructure in Queensland?

• How many beds will be decommissioned with the closure of older hospitals and wards?
• Is the ongoing use of Surgery Connect (public procedures performed in private hospitals) evidence elective surgery is cheaper in the more efficient private hospital system?

• In the past decade, how many patients have suffered significant adverse clinical outcomes, including death, as a result of unacceptable long waiting times for surgery?

• In the past decade, how many patients have suffered significant adverse clinical outcomes, including death, as a result of unacceptable delays in emergency department treatment times and access block?

AMA Queensland is the state’s peak health organisation which exists to advance the professional interests of doctors and the health of the community. It is an independent organisation which represents 5500 doctors - public and private specialists and general practitioners.

AMA Queensland Susan Peterson (07) 3872 2209 or Mobile: 0419 735 641
Sequel Communications Shaun Rigby (07) 3251 8140 or Mobile: 0438 021 936