GOLD Coast Health has hit back at claims there are not enough beds or staff to cater for unprecedented patient demand as a major recruitment campaign begins.
Chief executive Ron Calvert said the service was undertaking a massive nurse recruitment and comments the city’s health system was short on staff were simply not true.
It comes on the back of community outcry this week over the shocking image of cancer patient Amanda Veitch lying on the Gold Coast University Hospital’s emergency department floor.
The photo was posted on social media with critics labelling the Coast health system “Third World”.
“We have made a significant and comprehensive investment,” Mr Calvert said.
“Gold Coast Health has consistently increased beds, staff and resources available to the local community.”
Emergency department presentations at Parklands and Robina hospital have increased 12 per cent in a year.
Mr Calvert said there were 78 emergency treatment spaces at GCUH compared to 38 at the old Southport hospital.
He said it was not the case that Mrs Veitch could not get a bed, but there was a process issue within the system.
“There are processes in place to manage periods of intermittent increased demand but we are continuing to refine and improve our responsiveness to these peaks in activity,” Mr Calvert said.
The introduction of the helipad at GCUH has contributed to the facility treating 120 of the sickest category one patients a month compared to 60 at Southport.
Opposition spokeswoman Shadow Health Minister on health Jo-Ann Miller claimed this week 54 nursing positions had been cut but Mr Calvert said 44 people had accepted redundancies early last year.
He said The service had since employed an extra 440 nurses, 65 doctors and more than 100 allied health staff.
Source: Gold Coast Bulletin