SPRINGBORG BACKS DOWN OVER HOSPITAL OUTSOURCING.

Media Release.

The Newman Government’s plan to privatise Queensland’s public hospitals is in tatters today after it admitted Queensland Health’s doctors, nurses and allied health professionals were more efficient than the private sector.

Shadow Health Minister Jo-Ann Miller said the decision not to use private sector providers at the new Sunshine Coast Public University Hospital was a victory for the Opposition, health unions and local lobbyists.

“There has been overwhelming opposition to Health Minister Lawrence Springborg’s intention to get private health companies to run this hospital and now he’s backing down because he’s realised he got it wrong again,” said Mrs Miller.

“This is great news, but it doesn’t mean that the threat to our public health system is over. Mr Springborg still wants to hand pathology, radiology and hospital pharmacy services to the private sector."

“He was wrong on clinical care and the Opposition believes he is wrong on clinical support services too."

“If publically employed health workers are best for treating patients, why are pathology, radiology and hospital pharmacy staff throughout Queensland facing retrenchment?"

“Mr Springborg has produced no evidence that privatising these services will benefit Queenslanders and benefit patients."

“Where is the independent assessment of these massive changes the LNP is introducing to our public health system?"

“Earlier this week the Auditor-General published overwhelming evidence that outsourcing work to private contractors in the areas of community safety, housing and public works and transport was wasteful and inefficient."

“Now even Mr Springborg has had to admit that the public sector beats the private sector on cost for the provision of frontline health care."

“The Newman Government’s vaunted contestability policy is a miserable failure and should be binned,” she said.