March 18, 2015
Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington says she is extremely disappointed in the State Government’s move to axe the “Wait Time Guarantee” introduced by the previous government.
She said that although the Wait Time Guarantee had been operating for just one month (February), local Hospitals had shown “outstanding results”.
“This was Australia’s first elective surgery guarantee, and was modelled on the health systems of Scandinavia. It started on February 1 but unfortunately under Labor, will not continue,” Mrs Freckington said.
“At Kingaroy and Toowoomba Hospitals in February, 100 per cent of patients received their surgery on time across all categories – urgent, semi-urgent and non-urgent,” she said.
“It just doesn’t make any sense why Labor would want to scrap Australia’s first surgery guarantee, especially when it was delivering for patients.
“While I know a lot more had to be done, waiting lists in our region had decreased.
“For example, the dental wait list at Kingaroy went from eight years down to two years, which I think is an excellent achievement.”
Mrs Frecklington said that at no point before the election did Labor indicate the policy would be scrapped.
“I will be working alongside my colleagues when we return to Parliament next week to request the new Health Minister, Cameron Dick, reconsider his decision to deny patients access to this guarantee,” she said.
“We will be moving a Parliamentary motion to keep the surgery guarantee. The LNP will not stand by and let Labor put patients at risk.
“I also will be highlighting what an excellent job the Darling Downs Hospital and Health Board have done over the past three years.”
Earlier this week, Mr Dick described fears the independence of local health boards was under threat by Labor as “irresponsible” and a “baseless scare campaign” by the LNP and Shadow Health Minister Mark McArdle.
I’m in Brisbane and was declared Category 2 under the Wait Time Guarantee on November 28 2014. I’m now long past the said 90 days and still have no idea when my surgery may take place. Forgive me, but did the “guarantee” ever get started? I’m long past hoping that I may get a call or letter stating otherwise.
In reply to Ross, the Wait Time Guarantee Program ran for just one month (it was always scheduled to begin on 1st February) and has now been axed. I would recommend you re-contact the Hospital and ask for further information, or, as you’re in Brisbane, perhaps contact your Local State Member who should be able to make an enquiry on your behalf to find out what your wait-time may now be, especially if you are experiencing any pain. Deb
The definition of guarantee seems to be missing here. This guy just stated he didn’t get it, and is told to contact his hospital. A guarantee should probably mean that maybe you should be ensuring this patient gets treated? Let’s not forget the fact that this $77m program was going to pay $15m total advertising spend over three years, and $30 million to the bureaucracy this year alone.
Talk is cheap, but actions none?