Queensland Health - The Remedy - 2006

LETTER TO EDITOR - 17 January 2006

Dear Editor

Saturday's editorial (FCC 14/01/06) was very close to the mark.

We've been fed lies for years about the need to rationalise medical services locally. Those with access to critical information have shirked their responsibility to discern truth from propaganda and plain deceit. Most of our civic leaders have been more interested in squabbling over a few acres of land on the outskirts of our city than in saving and enhancing the essential facilities of a well-equipped district hospital.

Queensland Health is an absolute disgrace. Ask residents in Cairns, Townsville, Mackay, Rockhampton, Emerald, Bundaberg and now Caboolture and Redcliffe. You'll hear the same lies have been told to them as well.

What is the answer?

Firstly, we need to hold the State government fully accountable. Hospitals are a State responsibility and this government is rolling in cash, not only from Federal GST receipts but also from double-dipping on a range of State taxes which the GST was supposed to replace.

As both Premier and Treasurer, Beattie is ultimately responsible for both the direction of the government and for the allocation of funding. His dishonest, bumbling ministers, too lazy or impotent to exact accountability out of their departments, ought to be treated with the same contempt as they have been treating Health.

For years this government has been stripping funding from essential services (hospitals, ambulance and fire services, electricity) to prop up its burgeoning bureaucracy. It is time for a razor gang. Slash the bureaucracy and transfer the funds to where they are needed.

Secondly, the government needs to immediately lift the Budget priority of Health. The minimum benchmark ought to be to match the level of funding provided by other State governments, but much more spending will be needed to keep up with population growth, to satisfy community expectations and to restore public confidence.

Thirdly, take Health out of the clutches of career bureaucrats. Replace the ineffective District Health Councils, which have had no power to curb the foolish whims of QH puppets, with effective, efficient local Hospital Boards chosen directly by the local communities they will serve. These Boards should consist of a blend of appropriately qualified professionals and sensible, practical, common-sense community representatives, all of whom must be passionately committed to keeping our hospitals open and viable, not intent on closing them.

Fourthly, immediately reallocate all State health funding equitably between the 89 electorates across the State so that all Queenslanders have access to high quality medical services not just the inner suburbs of Brisbane. Queensland is the most decentralised State of all and funding needs to be spread more evenly across the State instead of being concentrated in the South Eastern corner.

Fifthly, freeze all new administrative appointments state-wide and implement an aggressive attrition programme to cull the hundreds of superfluous positions created by Queensland Health over the last ten or so years. The Davies Enquiry identified more than 600 unnecessary positions in Brisbane alone.

Sixthly, immediately dismiss Kerry Windsor and any other "managers" who demonstrate that they are devoid of the planning skills to keep our hospitals open or who evidently have no empathy with the concept of a universal hospital service for all Queenslanders.

Seventhly, cancel all leave and freeze all pay rises for QH administration staff until the remaining bureaucrats get our hospitals working properly.

Eighthly, slash the Premier's Department to one-tenth of its present size. Ten percent of the staff would be more than enough to keep us informed of Beattie's activities. We have a government built around one man's ego and clearly devoid of realistic priorities in managing our health system.

While we are on his floor, cancel all further leave and overseas trips for Beattie and his cronies until they get our hospitals back up to the standard we expect.

Ninthly, urgently review all working conditions and remuneration packages for doctors and allied professionals to ensure Queensland is the market leader in Australia - the "smart" State - one that has a world-class hospital system that is the envy of other States and nations. The success of Western Australia in rescuing its troubled hospital system is well documented.

Tenthly, slash university costs and urgently review entrance requirements to encourage more people to pursue careers in medicine and related professions. Perhaps our Federal representatives, in both Houses of Parliament, could exert more influence on their Coalition colleagues to show some leadership in this area also. Clearly, poaching from other nations is not the way to find doctors for our hospitals.

Unless we begin now, nothing will change. In the interim it may be necessary to look seriously at upskilling and other measures to bridge the gap until more graduates become available.

And perhaps a snap election would let every Labor MP know that our hospitals are not negotiable?