Confidence in health system must be restored

Survey results showing Queenslanders are losing confidence in the state health system are concerning but not surprising, AMA Queensland President Dr Maria Boulton said today.

“Queenslanders have not lost faith in our hardworking doctors, nurses, paramedics and other practitioners, but they are losing faith in the system and the bureaucracy behind it,” Dr Boulton said.

“We’re seeing ambulance ramping at record levels, overcrowded emergency departments and maternity units on bypass. We’re seeing general practices close their doors because Medicare rebates have not kept up with the rising costs in providing healthcare.

“At the same time we’ve seen a huge influx of people to Queensland, putting more pressure on the system.

“The only thing keeping it going is the dedication and altruism of our medical professionals and healthcare workers, who put themselves in physical danger to care for COVID cases and worked extraordinary hours when their colleagues fell ill or had to isolate.

“Our GPs delivered tens of millions of COVID vaccines around the state and found new ways to safely see patients at the height of the pandemic and lockdowns.

“We worked with the new Premier in his previous role as Health Minister. We are confident he will engage with us to listen to the issues, assisted by Minister Fentiman, who has made many positive changes since becoming Health Minister eight months ago.

“AMA Queensland represents doctors of all specialties, at all career stages and from all over the state. Our members are on the frontline and they tell us what is happening on the ground.

“In 2021, our Ramping Roundtable, led by emergency physicians, worked hard to come up with practical actions to relieve the strain on our hospitals, and the government has taken up most of them.

“This year, we are convening a Surgical Services Roundtable to find solutions to the elective surgery crisis and deliver recommendations to the government.

“The Premier’s No.1 focus has to be workforce – supporting  our current workforce first and foremost, and training, recruiting and retaining more.

“The financial incentives for international and interstate healthcare workers to relocate to regional areas must be expanded beyond Queensland Health staff, to attract GPs and other primary care workers to our regions.

“We need more Commonwealth-funded medical student placements and training pathways for resident doctors.

“The Premier must look at the system as a whole – public and private hospitals, general practice, aged care and NDIS. He must work with his federal Labor colleagues to lift Medicare rebates and restore the Commonwealth share of public hospital funding to 50 per cent.

“People aren’t concerned about which level of government is responsible for funding their healthcare – they just want all levels of government and all sides of politics to work together on real solutions.”

Background

AMA Queensland recommendations taken up by the state government since 2022:

• 2,500 new hospital beds
• Extended opening hours to allow patients to be discharged after hours and on weekends, freeing up ward beds for ED patients
• New funding to help patients out of hospital and into aged or disability care
• Financial incentives for doctors to relocate from overseas or interstate expanded to GPs and other private specialists who work part-time for Queensland Health
• Funding for 50 GPs to train as GP Obstetricians or GP Anaesthetists