Hospital deficit unknown

QUEENSLAND Health is still refusing to divulge the extent of the deficit in Bundaberg Hospital’s budget.

Questions over the hospital’s budget first arose when it was discovered the facility had a deficit in mid-February.

Health minister Geoff Wilson said there had been a $427 million increase in the budget since 2005 for the health service district in which Bundaberg belongs – although between 2008 and 2010 it was part of a larger district merged with the Sunshine Coast.

Mr Wilson said that increase meant the budget for health services in the Bundaberg region had more than doubled.

“Also, the number of clinical staff (doctors, nurses and allied health professionals) has risen by more than 88%, or an extra 332 clinical staff. Those numbers have risen from 375 health professionals to more than 707 health workers,” he said.

But the extent of the hospital’s debt is still unknown.

Member for Bundaberg Jack Dempsey directed a question on notice to the health minister in February asking the state of the budget for the past five years.

“I am very pleased to advise the Member that the budget for Bundaberg Hospital has grown by over 14% for this financial year compared to last,” Mr Wilson said when answering the question earlier this week.

But the page-long answer does not divulge the size of the hospital’s budget, nor how much has been spent, but rather speaks about how transparent Queensland Health is.

“Under the Bligh Government, more information is disclosed more often and more transparently than at any other point in Queensland history, in relation to public hospital performance,” the answer reads.

Mr Dempsey said the government’s reluctance to divulge all budget details showed it was not addressing the hospital’s requirements.

“I really do call on the Health Minister to address this issue,” he said.

“Not just for the patients, but also for the hard-working staff who deserve better.”

Mr Dempsey said more money was needed for the hospital and for allied health services.

“It comes back to having an overall health plan in Bundaberg,” he said.