BRIBIE LOCALS FAIL TO MEASURE UP IN LABOR’S HEALTH SERVICES PRIORITIES, Says Simone Wilson MP.

BRIBIE LOCALS FAIL TO MEASURE UP IN LABOR’S HEALTH SERVICES PRIORITIES, Says Simone Wilson MP.

The health needs of Bribie locals is not a priority according to the Palaszczuk Labor Government and the proof is in writing.

In the State Parliament today (Tuesday, 26 March 2019), Member for Pumicestone, Simone Wilson spoke on the need for improved health services for Bribie Island residents following a letter she wrote earlier this year to the Queensland Health Minister, Steven Miles.

“With ambulance ramping rife and the Emergency Department at the Caboolture Hospital bursting at the seams, many patients are left to find alternative urgent care treatment because they simply can’t get seen”, Mrs Wilson said.

“Queensland’s public health system is failing under the Palaszczuk Labor Government and so I wrote to Minister Miles in January calling on him to allocate funding in this year’s state budget to improve urgent care health services for residents of Bribie Island”, Mrs Wilson said

“This is a serious problem when one considers that Bribie Island has the highest median age in the State at 59.6 years, compared to the rest of Queensland around 39.1 years and with an aging demographic comes the need for increased health care and urgent treatment services

“Suffice to say I was shocked to receive a reply to my letter from a Health Department officer who said he was asked by Minister Miles to reply to me.

“Such an important issue and Minister Miles could not even find the time of day to reply directly to me about the health needs of locals”, Mrs Wilson said.

Mrs Wilson said that the letter she received from the Chief Executive of the Metro North Hospital and Health Services outlined how data was gathered to justify whether or not a Minor Illness and Injury Centre on Bribie Island was needed and according to Queensland Health it is not.

The letter goes on to state that in 2017/2018:

• 4,915 patients from Bribie Island attended the Emergency Department at the Caboolture Hospital

• Around half needed immediate admission

• The other half – amounting to around 6 people per day, could have been treated at a local practice.

“There is no other way to read into the letter I received than to conclude the State Labor Government won’t support any plans for an urgent care clinic on Bribie Island – they think it’s too expensive and not enough people would use it

“In one foul swoop Steven Miles has knocked the wind out of Bill Shorten’s sails and his big plans for Longman as we now know the State Government do not and will not support his plans for an urgent care clinic on Bribie Island

“Such a clinic would need the backing of the State Health Department, but this letter is evidence that it won’t be coming from the Palaszczuk Labor Government”, Mrs Wilson said.