Queensland Health performance data shows the State's public hospitals successfully managed a major Omicron wave in the first three months of 2022, when thousands of frontline health workers were furloughed due to the pandemic.
Minister for Health Minister and Ambulance Services Yvette D'Ath acknowledged the outstanding efforts of frontline health workers and paramedics throughout the challenging March 2022 quarter.
"The March 2022 quarter was a quarter like no other for Queensland's public hospitals," the Minister said.
"Our public hospitals hadn't previously experienced anything like what we saw in the first three months of 2022.
"During this period Queensland saw a major wave of infection in a pandemic and some of our biggest hospitals were significantly impacted by major flooding.
"In the March quarter the number of beds taken by COVID patients peaked at 928, with the number of Queensland Health staff who were furloughed peaking at 6,000.
"In the face of these unprecedented pressures, and a 7-week suspension on elective surgery Statewide, our health system kept delivering.
"There were some improvements to Patient Off Stretcher Time in the March quarter, including at major hospitals such as Gold Coast University Hospital and RBWH.
"Statewide in the March quarter patient off stretcher time was at 58 per cent.
"The median wait time for the 567,464 people who attended our Emergency Departments was 15 minutes.
"Despite the pause in elective surgery in January and February, our hospitals were still able to provide elective surgery to 23,130 Queenslanders.
"I want to thank all Queensland Health workers for their outstanding efforts in the March quarter, in face of such unprecedented challenges."
To view the latest Queensland Health performance data, please visit http://www.performance.health.qld.gov.au/
