Public hospitals across the State are experiencing increasing demands but are still treating 100 per cent of the most urgent Category One cases within recommended timeframes.
According to the Minister for Health and Ambulance Services, Yvette D’Ath, emergency department (ED) presentations in January were up 32,000 on the same time last year, with more than 212,000 presentations in total.
“This financial year there has been a significant increase in emergency department presentations, when compared to previous years,” Ms D’Ath said.
“Our public hospitals are seeing more patients presenting to emergency departments than ever before,” she said.
“I want to thank our hardworking frontline healthcare workers who go above and beyond to care for Queenslanders every single day.”
Ms D’Ath said that between 1 July 2020 and 31 January 2021 there were over 1.39 million presentations to Queensland’s EDs, an increase of 11.6 per cent.
She said the State had allocated $989.7 million this financial year to strengthen ambulance services, and would deliver an extra 475 paramedics over the next four years as part of a plan to hire 9,475 additional frontline health workers.
She said $1.625 billion had also been allocated to a State-wide health infrastructure program to meet the demands of Queensland’s growing population.
Ms D’Ath said an additional $25 million would be allocated this financial year to increase bed capacity across the health system.
