Ambulance ramping at Redland Hospital has reached more than 70.4 per cent of patients ramped in August, up 16.2 per cent since the LNP formed government, according to Springwood MP Mick de Brenni.
The average extra time ambulances are waiting on the ramp has blown out and more than doubled, with patients waiting up to six and a half hours before being admitted to the emergency department.
It comes as David Crisafulli has broken another election promise to provide measurable year-on-year ramping targets, Mr de Brenni said.
“When David Crisafulli promised Queenslanders he’d achieve ramping of 30 per cent, people believed him. But in the Redlands, it’s gone the other way and it’s now more than 70 per cent,” said Mr de Brenni.
“Under the LNP, ramping is worse, waiting times are longer, and hospital staff are still paying for parking they were told would be free. It’s broken promise after broken promise and Queenslanders are paying the price.
Mr de Brenni said the figures show a Government distracted by politics, not patients.
“This LNP Government has failed to deliver the new hospital beds Queenslanders were promised,” Mr de Brenni said.
“Instead, he’s pushing a dodgy infrastructure plan that delays new beds and puts more pressure on the system. While patients wait, the LNP is looking after their far-right donors and playing political games.”
Mr de Brenni said patients are reporting other unacceptable delays.
“I’ve heard some residents are being told to expect multiple month delays before they can start treatment,” he said.
“It feels like public patients are being pushed further down the line while private hospitals fill up.
“That’s not the kind of health system Queenslanders want and we shouldn’t be heading down that road.”
Mr de Brenni said Queenslanders were seeing a pattern of failure under the Crisafulli–Nicholls government.
“They promised to reduce ramping rates but they’ve made it worse. They promised more hospital beds and haven’t delivered.
“They promised better wait times, but they’ve blown out. And they promised free parking at Redland Hospital, but workers are still paying,” he said.
“While Health Minister Tim Nicholls wages culture wars to please the far-right and their donor base, Queenslanders are left waiting in pain, stuck in ambulances, or paying private bills they can’t afford.
“When Labor was in government, we invested in new paramedics, built more emergency capacity, and drove down wait times.
“Queenslanders deserve a health system that’s publicly funded, properly staffed, and fair for everyone, not one that delays care and shifts costs back onto patients.”
Ambulance ramping Redlands
Ramping Aug 25 – 70.4% (up 16.2% from Oct 24)
Lost minutes (average extra time on top of 30 min target to be transferred into the ED) Aug 25 – 33.6 minutes
Lost minutes Oct 24 – 16.2 minutes
Health data as off May 25 longest patient off-stretcher time was – 6 hours and 36 minutes
The five longest off-stretchers as at May 25: 6hrs 36mins, 6hrs 30mins, 5hrs 48mins, 4hrs and 57mins, 4hrs and 36mins
