CHILDREN WAIT TOO

Waiting lists for surgery at Queensland hospitals were growing, the state Opposition said today. The lists included 209 children waiting for surgery at Brisbane's two children's hospitals, Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg said. Mr Springborg said figures released by the Government showed that waiting lists for elective surgery across the state had more than doubled in the past year.

But Premier Peter Beattie later countered Mr Springborg's claims by saying the figures were old. "These waiting list figures have been around for ages. They were released earlier in the month," he said. He said the most urgent categories had shown a marked improvement when compared with the same quarter a year ago. "The facts are that our system is improving in many senses but there are problems, systemic issues that need to be addressed, and they will be addressed," Mr Beattie said.

Mr Springborg said there were 21 people waiting for urgent surgery at the state's largest hospital, the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, 338 for semi-urgent surgery and 2077 waiting for surgery classed as non-urgent. Of the 209 waiting for elective surgery at the Royal Children's and Mater Children's hospitals, three were classed as urgent, 71 as semi-urgent and 135 as non-urgent. "These latest surgery waiting list figures are a sad indictment on Peter Beattie and the state Labor Party's administration of Queensland Health," Mr Springborg said. "There has been more than a doubling of those people that are waiting for life-saving elective surgery, and of those in the semi-urgent category there has been a fourfold increase. "One of the most disturbing figures that have been dug up by the Nationals is that some 209 children at the two children's hospitals have been waiting for more than the required time for surgery." Mr Springborg called on the Government to provide "several million dollars at least" as well as better administration and management of public hospitals to ensure that people got their surgery on time.

Source

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For greatest efficiency, lowest cost and maximum choice, ALL hospitals and health insurance schemes should be privately owned and run -- with government-paid vouchers for the very poor and minimal regulation.

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