The Premier yesterday unveiled details of her government's plan in what she said was the largest decentralisation of the public sector in the state's history.
The shake-up was fast tracked after a former Queensland Health executive claiming to be a Tahitian prince embezzled more than $16 million from the department.
Ms Bligh said the plan was a "once-in-a-generation opportunity" to start from scratch. She has committed to implementing the changes within 100 days of taking office after the next state election.
''Today's plan outlines a bold vision for the future of health in this state from July 2012; as part of the national health reform project, healthcare will be managed locally by local networks," she said.
''But now we will split the old Queensland Health into two new government entities, each under a separate director-general."
Health and Hospitals Queensland, with a staff of about 1750, will lead policy development and innovation in the delivery of hospital and clinical services.
The Health Corporate Services Authority, with a staff of more than 4200, will be responsible for providing corporate services to support frontline staff and overseeing finance, human resources and information and communications technology.
AMAQ state president Richard Kidd said he was disappointed that a "new beginning in health" did not include improving health services for patients.
"What we actually need is more doctors, more nurses, more beds,'' Dr Kidd said. ''If you look at an area like South Brisbane, they need another 900 beds today, just to bring them up to the national average, which isn't very good anyway," he said.
"Also the lies continue. The Premier said Queensland has the shortest elective waiting list in Australia. The reason for that is that we are dishonest about what we call the waiting list."
Dr Kidd said there was a "waiting list for the waiting list" and that thousands of patients were being turned away for procedures such as cataract and varicose-vein surgery and paediatric ear, nose and throat surgery.
"We have people referred for cataract surgery whose letters have been rejected by public hospitals, with the comment that, because the public hospital can't see the patient in a timely way, they won't see the patient at all," he said.
"If we're going to talk about a new beginning for health, let's talk about how we're going to get these basic services back there."
Deputy Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls said Labor had had 20 years to fix Queensland Health and the only way to fix the problem was a change of government.
"This is a panicked and desperate move by a government that has run out of ideas," he said.
"We will not be forced into adopting this government's response, particularly on the eve of an election. The employees of Queensland Health haven't been properly consulted, the public hasn't been consulted … we will not be held accountable for their report."
Mr Nicholls said Queensland Health would improve under an LNP government because ministers would be held accountable.
"We will change the culture of Queensland Health by changing government. Not one minister has been held accountable for the failure of Queensland Health.
''Having two dysfunctional departments, replacing one dysfunctional department is not going to deliver better health services.''
No comments:
Post a Comment