Health Minister Lawrence Springborg continues to hide behind his desk in Brisbane and the Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service despite the growing medical crisis at the Rockhampton Hospital.
In Rockhampton today, Opposition Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk said Mr Springborg, as the Minister responsible for the state’s public health system should be in the city to look locals in the eye and take responsibility for the series of botched medical procedures at the city’s hospital.
“The fact is that Lawrence Springborg is far more interested in our hospitals turning a profit than he is in actual safe, quality patient care,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“Just last October Mr Springborg was bragging that the Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service had returned a surplus of $18.7 million by underspending its budget.
“Now he has admitted that it was also about that time he was informed of problems with patient safety and clinical governance at the Rockhampton Hospital.
“These are the twisted priorities of this Health Minister who needs to get out from behind his desk in Brisbane and face the people of Rockhampton and explain this chain of events.
“He needs to stop hiding behind the CQ Hospital and Health Service and answer questions because it is his responsibility as the Minister charged with overseeing our public health system.”
Ms Palaszczuk said since the Newman Government took office over two years ago, 80 staff from the state-wide Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Service have been sacked.
Rockhampton MP and Shadow Minister, Bill Byrne, said Mr Springborg needed to explain why these staff in charge of ensuring patient safety had been dismissed and what role those sackings had in any decrease in patient safety monitoring.
“While the CQ HHS eventually explained the first case involving the removal of the wrong kidney of a young female patient, no one would know about other cases if I had not exposed what I knew about a second case on radio on Tuesday,” Mr Byrne said.
“Is the Minister happy about the level of disclosure by the CQ HHS?
“I suspect he is happy as long as he is not the one having to explain, even though it is ultimately his responsibility.
“It’s not good enough for Mr Springborg to be hiding in his Charlotte Street office in Brisbane when the people of Rockhampton hold real and legitimate concerns for patient safety at their hospital.
“It’s not good enough for Mr Springborg to be refusing to accept responsibility and sending Hospital and Health Service members out to face the music.
“The Minister needs to explain to Rockhampton what he knew and when he knew it? Was he told there were legitimate safety concerns before the director of surgery and executive director of medical services were stood down?
“Was he paying attention when 80 safety monitoring professionals were sacked?
“Rockhampton residents who rely on their hospital need answers and they are not getting them while Mr Springborg is missing in action.”
Source: Annastacia Palaszczuk