- 85 patients have been stranded in Townsville Hospital, urgently waiting for tailored care placements to be delivered by the Australian Government.
- Australian Government urged to address funding shortfalls keeping patients in hospitals instead of in appropriate care.
- Stranded patients leaving Townsville Hospital under pressure and delaying access to specialist health services when Queenslanders need them.
The Queensland Government is calling on the Australian Government to urgently meet its responsibilities to Queenslanders waiting for aged care placements and National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) assistance in Townsville, after revelations stranded patients are waiting in Far North Queensland hospitals.
Through no fault of their own, 85 stranded patients are occupying beds in Townsville HHS facilities, including 17 younger and 68 older patients, who have been medically cleared for discharge but remain in hospital.
A funding shortfall from the Australian Government has left the patients without suitable care options and languishing in hospital beds.
The Queensland Government is doing everything it can to ensure patients receive the healthcare they need and deserve, however funding for the NDIS and aged care is primarily the responsibility of the Australian Government.
The Townsville HHS is is one of the most geographically dispersed health catchments, extending west to Richmond and Hughenden, north to Cardwell, south to Home Hill and east to Magnetic and Palm Islands.
These older patients cost the health system $1.91 million every day - costs that should rightly be met by the Commonwealth, and a further 290 younger NDIS patients are also awaiting discharge, adding $660,000 per day.
Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Tim Nicholls said the Crisafulli Government was doing its part to strengthen Queensland's health system for the future.
"We are committed to improving access to healthcare across Queensland, reducing ambulance ramping, and increasing life-changing elective surgeries," Mr Nicholls said.
"As part of our Hospital Rescue Plan, we are delivering more than 2,600 new hospital beds across three new and 10 expanded hospitals, as well as new and upgraded health facilities across Queensland.
"While we are seeing the elective surgery wait list decrease and important progress on our Plan, there is much more to be done to restore health services when you need them, and we remain committed to delivering the fresh start we promised."
Townsville Hospital and Health Service Chief Executive Kieran Keyes said managing long-stay patients was an ongoing challenge for the health service.
"Every day we have dozens of people in hospital who no longer need acute medical care but have nowhere else to go," Mr Keyes said.
"When a hospital bed is occupied long-term for non-medical reasons, it means another patient; either someone's parent, child, or partner, may be waiting longer than they should for a bed."
Mr Keyes said the priority was ensuring patients could move into the right care setting as smoothly and safely as possible.
"These patients deserve dignity, stability, and the right kind of support, not an extended hospital stay; ultimately hospitals are designed for treating illness, not for extended stays once medical care is complete."
"We're committed to working with families, care providers, and the broader community so people can move into the right environment at the right time."
