It was with great pleasure that I was invited to be on Estimates Committee B to examine the expenditure of the departments of health, police and community safety. The Hon. Paul Lucas provided a wealth of additional information under questioning, and I would like to pass on my thanks to the minister and his entire health team for the wonderful job they do in providing excellent quality public health care to the people of Queensland.
The Bligh government has in the 2009-10 financial year provided a record budget. There is a focus on delivering additional staffing of 3,500 new doctors, nurses and allied health professionals over the next three years, continuing our hospital-building program and a focus on easing the pressure in emergency departments and on surgery waiting lists. Obviously providing funding and additional staffing are the key planks in achieving this, but there is also a focus on preventative health care and providing incentives and education so that Queensland people can take more responsibility for their own health and wellbeing.
It was noted that chronic disease causes more than 22,000 deaths per year. There are 2.9 million
Queenslanders who have a chronic condition such as high blood pressure. Seven out of every 10 adults in Queensland have two or more risk factors for chronic disease such as smoking, overweight, inactivity, poor diet or excessive drinking, and the number of people with diabetes will triple in the next 25 years. These statistics are frightening and mean we will need to continue with successful education programs such as the healthy eating 2 and 5 promotion, the Dark Side of Tanning campaign, and highlighting the results of high-risk drinking by women and young people.
It was pleasing to hear of the government’s commitment to building a single Queensland children’s hospital, which is validated by expert clinical advice worldwide which confirms that a single children’s hospital provides the best outcomes for sick children. The Deputy Premier also provided information on the Surgery Connect program, which is delivering an extra 20,000 elective surgery operations over three years with an investment of around $30 million, almost $13 million for enhanced rehabilitation beds, $12 million to enhanced cancer services and almost $5 million to improve services to mothers and babies with support closer to home.
Time was also devoted to discussing the performance of the emergency departments in public hospitals. I was pleased to hear about the continuing reduction of waiting times in emergency departments. Ninety-nine per cent of category 1 patients were seen in the recommended time, which is up from 98 per cent, and there were improvements in all of the other categories.
In 2008 our EDs saw a record 974,000 patients, an increase of 150,000 patients, or 18 per cent, on 2005. The Bligh Labor government has made expanding the capacity of our health system to manage this record demand the No. 1 priority. This is being done through initiatives such as additional hospital beds which have been opened, additional staffing, and the construction of new or expanded EDs at Prince Charles, Caboolture, Redcliffe and seven other regional hospitals.
I am also pleased to say that the Prince Charles Hospital will be allocated $45.6 million for a new 12-bay paediatric emergency department, 20 short-stay paediatric ward beds and specialist outpatient clinics.
This means that residents on the north side can be assured of expert medical attention for children close to where they live and the opportunity to access the new custom-built Children’s Hospital if their children are very sick.
Minister Neil Roberts detailed the Bligh Labor government’s strong and ongoing commitment to law and order and community safety in Queensland. The minister detailed that the 2009-10 budget included over $1.7 billion for the Queensland Police Service and $1.5 billion for the Department of Community Safety. Capital works are a priority again, with more than $470 million to be invested in new police stations, jails, ambulance, fire and emergency services facilities-once again ensuring that local economies are boosted and supporting thousands of jobs.
The minister provided additional information on initiatives surrounding the Queensland Police
Service including $47 million for road safety initiatives, Task Force Argos, QPS strategies to address domestic and family violence, strengthening of Water Police capabilities, counterterrorism capabilities, and trialling new technologies such as automatic numberplate recognition, mobile LiveScan and in-car cameras.
The recently formed Department of Community Safety supports healthy, safe and secure communities through public safety, emergency management, essential emergency response services and secure and appropriate corrective services. The minister provided additional information to the committee on a variety of issues, including initiatives and funding to assist in managing the impacts of climate change; the QAS implementing demand management strategies; the proposal for an Australia-wide emergency notification process; the benefits of the new Combined Emergency Services Academy; and enhancements to the clinical practice of Queensland paramedics.
I was particularly interested in the information provided about random roadside drug and alcohol testing and its role in increasing road safety. It is well known that alcohol has been found to be the contributing factor in around one-third of all road deaths. It is very important that our police get out there and do the drug testing, which they have been doing. Up until 8 July this year, 15,854 roadside saliva tests had been conducted resulting in 336 drivers testing positive for a relevant drug. It is important that they continue this good work.
I was also pleased to see the interim QPS telephone interception capability to help in the fight against organised crime. There were so many other initiatives that we covered, but due to time constraints that is all I will talk about. I congratulate the committee on work well done and our chair for the excellent job in leading us.
