More than 1.39 million people presented at hospital emergency departments between July 1 2020 and January 31, 2021, an 11.6 per cent increase over the previous period.

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath says despite surging demand, all category one patients in immediately life-threatening situations are being seen within two minutes.

However, ramping, where patients are treated in the back of ambulances on hospital driveways until beds become available, is also on the rise.

D’Ath says the problem is being caused by a surge in elective surgeries and the numbers of people who don’t need emergency treatment turning up at hospitals.

You might like

Archive

Knight’s Choice wins the 2024 Melbourne Cup

Archive

‘Vile’ neo-Nazi protesters climb Indigenous sacred site

“By having to fast-track all of those elective surgeries, then, consequently, we have people taking up those beds, which causes problems to the emergency department,” she told parliament on Tuesday.

“About one in three people coming into our emergency department need a bed, need to be admitted, so we have to look at bed capacity.

“It’s not just about how many ambulances and how many paramedics we have on the road, it’s how we’re managing to transition them.”

Ramping is a perennial issue in Queensland and the former Newman government also struggled to address the problem.

D’Ath said $15 million had been invested in hospitals to add another 130 beds across the state with another $10 million to be allocated shortly.

The minister was also speaking with hospitals, consumer group representatives and unions about the issue of ramping.

D’Ath said she was creating a plan to ensure ambulances get back on the road rather than remaining parked at hospitals.

“We are seeing those people who are most urgent now, that means other people are going to have to wait from time to time, because we need to make sure our category ones are given the priority that they need, the life-saving treatment, that’s what our public health system does so well,” she said.