By Jonathon Howard
The future of several doctors on contracts at both Warwick and Stanthorpe Hospitals hangs in the balance as the Darling Downs Hospital and Health Board assess whether further job cuts are needed, according to AMA president Alex Markwell.
Dr Markwell recently com-pleted her tour of the Southern Downs regional health centres to discover some of the issues and hear patient concerns.
She said the decision to make further jobs cuts was in the hands of the Southern Downs Health Board, a responsibility passed on to the board by the State Government.
“It’s a complex issue, but there are no guarantees for several doctors currently on contracts,” she said.
The announcement comes as waiting times at Warwick and Stanthorpe Hospitals continue to increase, according to angry residents, adding further frustrations to those queues for treatment and health care.
“A greater number of doctors in the private sector would help alleviate pressure from the public hospitals and allow doctors to focus on emergency patients,” Dr Markwell said.
Darling Downs Hospital and Health Service southern operations manager Bill Jelacic said a total of 30 per cent of patients who present to emergency departments are estimated to have conditions which could be treated and managed by a general practitioner.
“Emergency services exist to provide treatment for the seriously ill and those suffering as a result of accidents,” Mr Jelacic said.
“The Darling Downs Hospital and Health Service is concerned about the number of general practitioners in Warwick and the result this has on hospital emergency department presentations.”
However, Mr Jelacic said the service was very proud of the highly skilled doctors at both Stanthorpe and Warwick Hospitals.
“These doctors have a broad range of training, including in obstetrics, anesthetics and endoscopy,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Darling Downs Hospital and Health Services are installing new software to report on waiting times at rural hospitals, including Stanthorpe and Warwick.
“Progressively, as the new software is rolled out, we will be reporting waiting times to the community as part of the Queensland Government commitment to increased transparency,” Mr Jelacic said.
