Frontline health services across the Darling Downs and the South West are set to be boosted with the Newman LNP Government today committing to an additional 195 doctors, nurses and health practitioners throughout the region as a part of its strong plan for health.
Premier Campbell Newman said the LNP was focused on continuing to rebuild frontline health services across the region and generating skilled jobs for the future.
Mr Newman said the additional health jobs and services came on top of a record investment in public healthcare across the Darling Downs and South West with funding having increased by $103.4 million, or 16.4%, since the change of government just three years ago.
“We all want a healthier Queensland and we’ve been working hard over the past three years to reduce every single waiting list across the Darling Downs and the South West. But there is more to be done,” Mr Newman said.
“Because of our disciplined management of the state’s finances, the Newman LNP Government can create an estimated 195 additional frontline health jobs.
“We will also boost the delivery of public health services across the region over the next three years.”
Mr Newman said the frontline health jobs in the Darling Downs and South West region alone would include:
36 additional doctors;125 additional nurses; and34 additional health practitioners
The additional 195 staff will cost $42.8 million over three years from 2015/16.
Health Minister Lawrence Springborg said while the Newman LNP Government had turned Queensland Health around over the past three years, there was still much more to be done.
“Under Labor, Queensland Health was plagued with waste and ballooning bureaucracy that prevented the recruitment and retention of frontline health workers,” he said.
“There were thousands of patients languishing on waiting lists, and the billion dollar health payroll debacle left local doctors and nurses underpaid, overpaid or not paid at all.
“We’ve stabilised the Queensland Health payroll, local doctors and nurses are getting their proper pay and we’ve overseen across the board pay increases for all our health workers in the region.
“Despite these great achievements, we know there is more to be done. Only the strong LNP team has a strong plan to take Queensland Health into the future.
“And only the LNP team has the strong economic plan to ensure we can do it.”
