This report finds that by implementing the Specialist Outpatient Strategy, Queensland Health has improved patient access to specialist outpatient services and addressed the backlog of long waits at a point in time. However, despite Queensland’s health system treating more patients through specialist outpatient services, demand for public health services continues to increase and exceed supply. Urgent cases are mostly seen within clinically recommended times. But challenges remain, with non-urgent cases being seen outside clinically recommended times and the number of long waits steadily increasing since 2017. Many people still wait longer than the clinically recommended time to see a medical specialist.

Growth in demand is greater than population growth. This is making it more difficult to match supply and demand and actively manage patients to ensure they are on the right pathway at the right time. There is a finite ability to provide services in the public health system due to availability of public specialists. For some specialties, there is a statewide shortage of clinicians, with both the public and private health sectors competing for scarce resources.

COVID-19 has also impacted the supply of specialist outpatient services due to the reallocation of resources to deal with the pandemic, temporary suspension of some clinics, and restrictions on engaging clinicians from interstate and overseas.

While this audit focused on supply management, it should be noted that the increasing demand for services and pressures on supply has made it difficult to sustain improved access and reduce waiting times. More effective demand management strategies for non-urgent cases are needed for sustainable delivery of these services.