As one of the largest health systems in the country, Queensland Health operates a diverse range of services, including public hospitals, community health centers, mental health services, and preventive health programs. Workforce shortages, burn out, job stress and retention issues create challenges for healthcare professionals, including nurses, doctors, and allied health workers, which affects service delivery.

This policy briefing assesses the overall performance and funding of the health system, including elective surgery wait times, ambulance wait times and access to primary health care.

Key findings

• Queensland is performing either at or above average across a number of critical metrics.
• The health system is stronger today than it was ten years ago before the current Queensland Government came to power

Recommendations

• Prioritise recruitment and retention. Prioritising the recruitment and retention of health staff as a separate reporting metric for the department is essential to ensure a sustainable and high-quality healthcare system that can meet the growing demands of the population.
• Ensure long-term funding sustainability. To ensure long-term sustainability, Queensland must prioritize resource allocation and healthcare innovation that supports the core objectives of the system.
• Increase Bulk Billed GP Services. Increasing bulk-billed GP services will improve access to affordable healthcare, ensuring more people can see a doctor without out-of-pocket costs.