March 26, 2021
Total staff numbers at Kingaroy, Nanango and Murgon hospitals have risen since November, not fallen, according to Health Minister Yvette D’Ath.
The Minister responded on Thursday to a Question On Notice by Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington submitted in State Parliament on February 23.
Mrs Frecklington quizzed Mrs D’Ath about staffing levels at the three hospitals (full-time equivalent, part-time, casual and contract) following community complaints about apparent understaffing at the hospitals.
Mrs D’Ath said the collective staffing levels at the three hospitals was 278.15 staff.
“There has been a collective increase in staff at the three hospitals in question,” Mrs D’Ath said.
However, the Minister admitted that 61 shifts between November 1, 2020, and February 15, 2021, had been identified in an audit as short-staffed.
“I have been advised that, of the total number of shifts in the aforementioned period, 3.3 per cent were short-staffed and 1.31 per cent were overstaffed,” Mrs D’Ath said.
She said full-time staff at the new Kingaroy Hospital were “sufficient to cover all shifts”.
“However, the profiles for the new hospital have been in transition phase since opening in December,” Mrs D’Ath said.
“This transitional phase includes trial shift profiles … appropriate profiles were created in late January following the above trial periods which should address deficits.”
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