Media Release
Metro North staff and patients deserve an open and honest
explanation from Health Minister Lawrence Springborg about ongoing, high
level turmoil at Queensland’s biggest and busiest hospital health
board, Shadow Health Minister Jo-Ann Miller said today.
Mrs Miller said the constant attempts of Lawrence Springborg to shirk his Ministerial responsibility and the refusal of the Metro North Hopsital and Health Service to be publicly accountable was leading to a widespread plunge in staff morale.
“We are seeing huge credibility gaps open up between Lawrence Springborg’s claims about our hospital and health system and the cold hard facts,” she said.
“The Auditor-General has raised serious doubts about the data Lawrence Springborg has been using to claim improvements in hospital emergency departments."
“He claims cuts to waiting lists but ignores the ballooning ‘waiting list for the waiting list’."
“He has also been claiming the hospital system has improved under his watch, yet now we find the Metro North Hospital and Health Service is in crisis following his government’s decision to cut more than 1400 frontline jobs in Metro North, including 700 nurse and midwife positions."
“Metro North HHS doctors, nurses, and other frontline staff at Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital; Prince Charles Hospital; and hospitals at Redcliffe, Caboolture; and Kilcoy are expected to do more and more with less and less as each week passes."
“Those cuts are part of statewide cuts totalling close to 5000 jobs including around 1800 nurse and midwife jobs."
“The Minister has direct responsibility for the Metro North HHS and every other HHS in the state."
“But just like the Newman Government, it seems the Metro North HHS is not listening to its own employees. The concerns of those at the frontline are not being heard."
“If staff are as unhappy as what we’re hearing, that can only filter down into patient care as unrealistic targets are placed on staff."
“In the last few months we have seen Metro North executives referred to the CCC with no explanation and the executive director sacked and silenced."
“The Minister must stop hiding. He must take responsibility and he must explain what is happening at Metro North for the sake of staff morale and patient safety.”
Mrs Miller said questions about Queensland Health administration were being raised from Coolangatta to Cairns.
“We’ve seen 24,000 people drop off the waiting list for the waiting list in Cairns with no explanation from the Minister and the Newman Government has refused to commit to independent auditing of all health waiting list data, not just in emergency departments,” she said.
“Nurses and doctors are doing an incredible job under trying circumstances. Patient safety must come first but if Lawrence Springborg is going to waste thousands of dollars to promote what a good bloke he thinks he is, he must be open and accountable.”
Mrs Miller said the constant attempts of Lawrence Springborg to shirk his Ministerial responsibility and the refusal of the Metro North Hopsital and Health Service to be publicly accountable was leading to a widespread plunge in staff morale.
“We are seeing huge credibility gaps open up between Lawrence Springborg’s claims about our hospital and health system and the cold hard facts,” she said.
“The Auditor-General has raised serious doubts about the data Lawrence Springborg has been using to claim improvements in hospital emergency departments."
“He claims cuts to waiting lists but ignores the ballooning ‘waiting list for the waiting list’."
“He has also been claiming the hospital system has improved under his watch, yet now we find the Metro North Hospital and Health Service is in crisis following his government’s decision to cut more than 1400 frontline jobs in Metro North, including 700 nurse and midwife positions."
“Metro North HHS doctors, nurses, and other frontline staff at Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital; Prince Charles Hospital; and hospitals at Redcliffe, Caboolture; and Kilcoy are expected to do more and more with less and less as each week passes."
“Those cuts are part of statewide cuts totalling close to 5000 jobs including around 1800 nurse and midwife jobs."
“The Minister has direct responsibility for the Metro North HHS and every other HHS in the state."
“But just like the Newman Government, it seems the Metro North HHS is not listening to its own employees. The concerns of those at the frontline are not being heard."
“If staff are as unhappy as what we’re hearing, that can only filter down into patient care as unrealistic targets are placed on staff."
“In the last few months we have seen Metro North executives referred to the CCC with no explanation and the executive director sacked and silenced."
“The Minister must stop hiding. He must take responsibility and he must explain what is happening at Metro North for the sake of staff morale and patient safety.”
Mrs Miller said questions about Queensland Health administration were being raised from Coolangatta to Cairns.
“We’ve seen 24,000 people drop off the waiting list for the waiting list in Cairns with no explanation from the Minister and the Newman Government has refused to commit to independent auditing of all health waiting list data, not just in emergency departments,” she said.
“Nurses and doctors are doing an incredible job under trying circumstances. Patient safety must come first but if Lawrence Springborg is going to waste thousands of dollars to promote what a good bloke he thinks he is, he must be open and accountable.”
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